A Northern Kentucky teen is trying to warn others about the dangers of fireworks after she was seriously injured last year during the holiday weekend.
Hannah Wilson, 17, of Taylor Mill, suffered burns after an eight-inch mortar exploded next to her at a neighborhood block party.
On Wednesday, Wilsom came to Shriners Hospitals for Children-Cincinnati as a visitor playing Nintendo with four year old Juan who was injured in an accident last month.
This time last year however Hannah was at Shriners Hospital as a patient after being injured by fireworks set off by someone else during a block party.
"I was across the street and two houses down from where they were being shot off at and that's a good 500, 600 feet and it hit me," said Hannah Wilson of Taylor Mill.
Hannah suffered burns to her legs, hips, and hand.
She spent two weeks in the intensive care unit and endured five surgeries.
Its estimated nationwide fireworks injure 9 thousand people around the Fourth of July.
Doctors at Shriners Hospital can't stress enough to leave the fireworks to the professionals.
"Second, respect the sparklers, they seem innocent enough but they are certainly a source of hot flame and you wouldn't let your child run around with a hot stick on fire well the same thing with the sparklers, they're not toys," said Dr. Kevin Bailey with Shriners Hospitals for Children-Cincinnati.
17 year old Hannah has one more surgery to go and this year will be spending her Fourth of July in a different way.
"We are having a block party and instead of fireworks we've hired a band so we are going to listen to them play and if they shoot any fireworks off in my neighborhood I'm most likely going to go inside," said Wilson. "I don't want this to happen to anyone else. Its easily preventable, just stay away and don't mess with them."
While a senior at Scott High School, Hannah held a fundraiser to collect money for Shriners Hospital.
Her total was more than $1,800.
She plans to continue to give back because of all that Shriners Hospital did for her.
Wilson was in the intensive care unit for two weeks at Shriners Hospital for Children.
While a senior at Scott High School, she organized a penny war among her classmates collecting $1,800 and donated the proceeds to Shriners Hospital.
