Lion dance troupes have been working non-stop since Chinese New Year (CNY) began, blessing locations with luck for the upcoming year.
However, when schedules are packed to the brim, mistakes can find a way to creep into the performances.
Recently, an 18-year-old member of a lion dance troupe lost his eye after fireworks went off too soon during a show.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
Although the worst-case scenario meant removing his eye completely, doctors say that they didn’t have to go that far.
However, the damage to his right eye was so bad that it resulted in blindness.
According to Sin Chew Daily, the accident happened on 30 Jan in Tangkak, Johor Bahru.
At his lion dance troupe’s last appointment at around 1am, the high school student was tasked with lighting up the fireworks.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
While the 18-year-old was doing so, the fireworks went off sooner than expected, exploding in front of him and causing him to fall to the ground.
After consulting his family members, the troupe sent the young man to a local hospital.
The teen’s sister rushed down to the hospital at around 2am, as medical professionals were performing initial treatments for his wound.
They later sent him to another hospital in Muar for surgery.
Although the boy told his sister that he was fine, she later found out that his right eye was seriously injured.
After assessing the X-ray scans, the doctors told her that they may need to remove the eyeball entirely and replace it with a prosthetic eye, in the worst-case scenario.
Fortunately, they ended up not having to do that.
However, the damage to the teen’s right eye was reportedly so severe that it left him blind, noted Sin Chew Daily.
According to 8World News, the young man is still in the hospital for observation.
Doctors expect him to stay for another week so that they can monitor his condition.
His family members have sought answers as to why the fireworks exploded unexpectedly.
Despite the circumstances, the boy’s spirits remain high as he consoled his family through text messages.
In one message, he allegedly typed, “At least I still have one eye, and I can still see you!”
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Featured image adapted from Sin Chew Daily.
The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required, MFA said.
He crossed the border daily in hopes of buying a house for his family.
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His church has urged parishioners to refrain from visiting him as he heals.
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The toasts were barely a few centimetres thick.