The Los Angeles Dodgers fan that went viral last week after videos on social media showed fireworks exploding his hand has lost two fingers, his father announced.
Kevin King Sr. told Fox 11 Los Angeles that his 25-year-old son, Kevin King Jr., lost his pointer and middle fingers on his left hand after an incident involving fireworks on the streets of Los Angeles.
He also said that his son already has undergone two surgeries to repair damage from the incident and will require a third.
While King Sr. said his son sustained hearing loss in both of his ears, doctors told him that it could have much worse.
“Just watching the video alone,” King Sr. said, “they don’t understand how he was able to walk away with the injuries that he has. He protected 98% of his face from the explosion.”
King Jr. was seen celebrating the Dodgers’ World Series win on at least two different videos making the rounds on social media last week.
In the shocking video, King Jr. can be seen in the video carrying a lit firework onto a downtown L.A. crosswalk.
WARNING: Graphic content
But before he can place the firework on the ground, it explodes, sending sparks flying and engulfing him in smoke as other onlookers scatter down the street.
The friend who is filming the accident screams “Oh, f***!” as King Jr. stumbles, dripping blood, towards a storefront.
As he gets closer to the person filming, it becomes clear that both of his hands are covered with blood. It also appears that he is missing fingers and hunks of flesh from his left hand.
“Oh, his hand!” the cameraman says to another friend called Blue, who responds “I know, oh my goodness, bro.”
With King Jr. in apparent shock after the explosion, several bystanders came to his aid and called the authorities.
King Jr. currently is in a Southern California hospital and his family says it’s unclear if he’ll be able to return to his job in the oil industry after his recovery.
The family set up a GoFundMe page to help with King Jr.’s medical bills with more than US$10,000 raised as of Wednesday afternoon of the $50Gs goal.
On the page, his sister described the accident as a “simple two second mistake,” and said that the family is “grateful” that the results weren’t worse.
“My brother is the 25-year-old Dodger fan that has come across your feeds after the Dodgers won their 5th game (of the World Series),” she wrote. “Our family is so grateful to still have him in our lives today.
“After watching the game, he decided to take a walk like many others, to watch the cars and bikes on the road doing tricks and what not. He made a huge mistake of lighting a firework that was handed to him by a stranger. So many people light fireworks but you never once think this could happen to you.
“Unfortunately, it happened to my brother. A simple two second mistake that will now alter the rest of his life!! It could happen to anyone.”
The page also details King Jr.’s injuries and path to recovery.
“He has lost two fingers on his left hand and will be in need of a prosthetic,” the page reads. “He is also hard of hearing and we are hoping with time he will regain strength and hearing. He will be in and out of several surgeries that involve reconstructing his entire hand along with skin grafting.”