Ga. father died after firework hit him in the chest. His family urges others to be safe for July 4th

HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia family is warning others about firework safety. The family is pleading with people to go see a show instead of lighting their own fireworks after a firework misfired and killed Trevor White, their loved one.

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Channel 2′s Candace McCowan spoke with the family for WSB Tonight at 11 p.m.

Their holiday started like many others, at a professional fireworks show. But it didn’t end there.

They left that show and went to shoot fireworks elsewhere, and it all seemed to be going well, until the third firework.

Trevor White’s aunt, Misty Lepard, said her nephew was in Tallapoosa two years ago, holding a firework meant to be sitting on the ground. But before he could put it down, it went off.

“It went out the top and came out the bottom and hit him right in the chest, right there in front of his girls,” Lepard said. “There’s a piece of cement block in the bottom of it or a piece of hardwood and that’s what actually went through his chest.”

White was just 23 years old and died on his way to the hospital. He left behind two little girls and a fiancé who saw this happen.

According to the consumer product safety commission, White was one of nine people killed by a firework in 2021. And each year there are thousands of injuries.

Fire Departments like South Fulton warn about the dangers.

“You want to make sure you’re far enough away from the fireworks that if something were to happen a gust of wind or if the fireworks become unstable and fall over. Fireworks have projectiles and we don’t want those projectiles coming toward you,” said Lt. Eric L. Jackson with South Fulton FD

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White’s family also sent a warning, trying to spare any other family their pain.

“Go watch them, let the professionals the people who know what they’re doing that’s read the labels the warnings whatever, let them handle shooting off fireworks if this saves one’s life tomorrow,” said Lepard.

The consumer product safety commission recommends keeping a bucket of water or hose nearby, keeping children away, and never relighting or picking up fireworks that didn’t go off fully.

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