WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT
One reckless decision changed Reade Germann's life forever, and now, he's speaking out to prevent others from doing the same.
"Everybody was just having a good time and some firecrackers happened to come out," Germann said.
In just a matter of seconds, the bright lights of a firework can be replaced by those of an ambulance.
"I picked it up and was supporting it with my right hand at the time, and just from the recoil of it detonating to shoot into the sky, that's what actually broke my hand completely off the wrist," Germann said.
Germann was 25-years-old when he was told he was going to lose his hand.
"I was trying to be a man about it and realize that I had done this to myself and screwed up, but it was all the family members and my girlfriend at the time, all their tears, kind of got to me and I started crying as well," Germann said.
Germann's wife recalls how much of a toll the accident had on Reade and their family.
"It took everything he was before... the adventurous, the positive, outgoing person and took all that away from him," Kylie Germann, Reade's wife, said.
The former mechanic was forced to change his line of work.
"All the real thoughts started coming into play. 'What am I going to do for the rest of my life? How am I going to pay my bills? Or take care of the family that I want to have in the future?'" Reade said.
Germann takes full responsibility for his accident and now knows tragic accidents can happen to anyone at any time.
"I lived that young and really crazy lifestyle as well, and I'm lucky to be here today. I tell people all the time, I'm blessed to have just lost my hand," Reade said.
Germann doesn't discourage the use of fireworks but wants to remind everyone how vital it is to be careful. He no longer handles fireworks himself.
"We still see friends, to this day, which blows my mind, just misuse fireworks," Kylie said.
The Germann family hopes their story will teach others to be safe rather than sorry.
"I think that everyone should really, really think about what they do before they do something stupid like I did," Reade said.
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