Elk City, OK - Independence Day lands on Saturday, and fireworks will light up the skies all across western Oklahoma. But one local man is urging people not to forget how dangerous those explosives can be.

Paragon Communications’ Shawn Wilson knows firsthand the risks. On July 4, 2015, Wilson suffered a serious injury involving an artillery shell.

“I was throwing a two-inch artillery shell like a baseball,” Wilson said. “When I pulled it back to throw, the fuse coiled, hit the side, and it went off in my hand. It split my hand in two, took two fingers, shattered another, and damaged the end of my thumb.”

Wilson was airlifted to Oklahoma City, where doctors were able to save his hand. Still, the effects of that moment stick with him—and he hopes his story serves as a warning.

“I’m thankful I didn’t hurt anyone else. That would’ve been much harder to live with,” he said. “But people will get hurt this Fourth of July unless they take fireworks safety seriously.”

Despite his injury, Wilson still supports fireworks use but says reading and following the directions is key.

“These fireworks are more powerful than people think, especially around kids,” he said. “You’ve got to be extremely careful.”