Recovery Continues For Oklahoma Man Injured By Fireworks

We first told you about Taron Pounds last July, when a firework exploded in his face. To hear him play, you'd never know this talented musician nearly lost his life last summer.

Friday, January 11th 2013, 6:35 pm

By: News On 6

Recovery Continues For Oklahoma Man Injured By Fireworks

A 23-year-old Tulsa man is waiting for his next surgery to repair his face after a summer fireworks accident.

We first told you about Taron Pounds last July, when a firework exploded in his face.

To hear him play, you'd never know this talented musician nearly lost his life last summer.

"It is an absolute act of God that I'm alive," Pounds said.

One look at Taron Pounds, and you can tell he's been through a nightmare. It happened last July 7. Pounds was celebrating his cousin's wedding and shooting off fireworks.

He went to check on a 4-inch mortar shell and it exploded in his face.

"The impact is what actually broke most of my skull on the left side," Pounds said.

A digital image shows the massive amount of damage. The left side of his face was crushed, his nose was broken, and his teeth and jaws were shattered.

"I'm incredibly lucky to be here. I won some kind of insane galactic lottery," Pounds said.

Pounds is an accomplished jazz guitarist and he's grateful he's still able to play.

He expects to have around ten more surgeries. The bones in his face were replaced using bones from his tibia and doctors are currently growing excess skin to cover the wounds on his face. To do that, they've inserted what is essentially a breast implant in his shoulder. As they pump saline inside it, the skin grows.

His family is amazed by the cutting edge medical procedures and his mother has a hard time finding words to describe how proud she is of her son.

"He is just—he is incredible," said Tammy Cauthron.

Cauthron has sworn off fireworks, but her son still plans to enjoy them and he asks anyone else looking to do the same to be careful and think about him before lighting that fuse.

"Anything that can cause you bodily harm, you got to watch out. I got too comfortable around something that was too dangerous and, I paid for it," Pounds said.

A benefit concert will take place on January 26, to help with some of his medical bills.

A Led Zeppelin tribute band, as well as a Black Sabbath tribute band will perform.

It will be held at Cain's Ballroom and tickets are $15 at the door.