Gerrard Kaonga
The son of a man who died in a tragic Fourth of July accident after placing a lit firework on his head has spoken out.
Allen Ray McGrew, 41, was excited and ready to celebrate Independence Day in style before his death.
According to his wife, Paige McGrew, he loved the holiday and was always excited for this time of the year.
She said: “Allen loved this holiday. He was a patriot, he was proud of his son and he was excited to have a new daughter-in-law. He was living his best life last night."
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She added that Allen 'didn't drink regularly', and the party was to be his last blow-out before staying off the booze for a while.
In addition to the normal buzz around the holiday, he was also happy to be celebrating his son Hunter’s engagement, ready to welcome his daughter-in-law into the family.
However, he made a fateful error. Dorchester County Sheriff's department was called to an address in Cottonwood Drive, Summerville in South Carolina, after the 41-year-old set a firework off on his top hat at 10.30pm.
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While wearing a fitting Uncle Sam outfit for the celebration, Paige thought her husband was just 'showboating' with the firework before putting it into the ground, only realizing he had actually lit the firework before it erupted on his head.
After it exploded, Allen then collapsed, according to Dorchester County Sheriff's department, before he was pronounced dead at the scene at 11.10pm.
His son Hunter has since told the New York Post: "We’re traumatized."
A video showing Allen dancing in his costume hours before his death has also been circulating on social media and has resulted in stern criticism from people online.
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The family has since said any portrayal of Allen as a ‘drunken fool’ couldn’t be further from the truth.
Paige also spoke about Allen’s final moments and his kind words to his family before his death.
“Just before the incident happened, he hugged me and his son and said, ‘You are my rock, and you are my heart,'” she recalled.
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“Me being his rock and his son being his heart.”
“He was a genuine, good person and he loved life,”
UNILAD has contacted the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office and Dorchester County Coroner's Office for comment.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.