Frank Hayes of Lake Villa, 45, a father of four, went to pick up his daughter who was enjoying Fourth of July festivities at a friend’s house last year. The friend’s uncle was lighting fireworks – specifically a mortar, a 4-inch vertical tube into which the uncle dropped the charge and jumped back prepared for the explosion.
 
The hissing tube fell over and was pointing directly at all the kids. In a split second, Hayes lunged down to move it when it went off with a horrendous noise.
 
He got a one-second glimpse of his hand before the pain hit with full force. The end of his ring finger was gone, the outside of his hand (pinky to wrist) was broken and his thumb was almost blown off.