Elderly man survives being hit in the face with stray bullet at Fourth of July fireworks after his MEDALLION deflected slug into friend's back
PUBLISHED: 23:32 GMT, 6 July 2012 | UPDATED: 05:54 GMT, 7 July 2012
Richard Smeraldo, 74, was enjoying the Fourth of July Fireworks in Safety Harbor, Florida, when all of a sudden it felt like someone smashed him in the face with a baseball bat. A bullet fell out of the sky, slicing through the bill of his hat and traveling into his nose and then out his jaw - only to strike the medallion precariously placed on his chest. Mr Smeraldo called the near death experience a 'miracle' and is speaking out to warn others of the dangers of 'celebratory' gunfire.
Pain: Richard Smeraldo, 74, was enjoying the Fourth of July Fireworks in Safety Harbor, Florida, when all of a sudden it felt like someone smashed him in the face with a baseball bat
'It's sort of a miracle when you think about things like this,' he said at his Clearwater home Thursday to the Tampa Bay Times. "It's a brush with death, in a way. If my head was moved an inch …' Mr Smeraldo was rushed to Mease Countryside Hospital, where they stitched up his nose and chin from the 9mm bullet's damage. The medallion that may have saved his life was unscathed, still inscribed with his mother's favorite Bible verse: 'If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed . . . nothing shall be impossible to you.' Police are investigating who may have fired the shot as incidents of stray bullets have been disastrous to the community.
Journey: A bullet fell out of the sky, slicing through the bill of his hat and traveling into his nose and then out his jaw to strike the medallion precariously placed on his chest
On New Year's, a 13-year-old boy was struck in the head while he was watching fireworks at his home. Diego Duran lost his sense of smell, his short-term memory and had to undergo extensive surgeries to survive. Law officials have struggled to combat the gunfire. 'It's one of those things that's pretty tough to prevent, other than to plead for discretion and good judgment,' Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said to the Tampa Bay Times.
Strong: Mr Smeraldo called the near death experience a 'miracle' and is speaking out to warn others of the dangers of celebratory gunfire
Healing: Mr Smeraldo was rushed to Mease Countryside Hospital, where they stitched up his nose and chin from the 9mm bullet's damage
Diego Duran's mother, Sandy, has teamed up with Joe Krawtschenko, a firearms instructor, to create the Bullet Free Sky initiative, to require more rigorous safety training for those who obtain concealed-weapon permits.
'You have a ton of people out there with guns who have no idea how to use them,' Mr Krawtschenko said.
Richard Smeraldo, 74, was enjoying the Fourth of July Fireworks in Safety Harbor, Florida, when all of a sudden it felt like someone smashed him in the face with a baseball bat. A bullet fell out of the sky, slicing through the bill of his hat and traveling into his nose and then out his jaw - only to strike the medallion precariously placed on his chest. Mr Smeraldo called the near death experience a 'miracle' and is speaking out to warn others of the dangers of 'celebratory' gunfire.
Pain: Richard Smeraldo, 74, was enjoying the Fourth of July Fireworks in Safety Harbor, Florida, when all of a sudden it felt like someone smashed him in the face with a baseball bat
'It's sort of a miracle when you think about things like this,' he said at his Clearwater home Thursday to the Tampa Bay Times. "It's a brush with death, in a way. If my head was moved an inch …' Mr Smeraldo was rushed to Mease Countryside Hospital, where they stitched up his nose and chin from the 9mm bullet's damage. The medallion that may have saved his life was unscathed, still inscribed with his mother's favorite Bible verse: 'If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed . . . nothing shall be impossible to you.' Police are investigating who may have fired the shot as incidents of stray bullets have been disastrous to the community.
Journey: A bullet fell out of the sky, slicing through the bill of his hat and traveling into his nose and then out his jaw to strike the medallion precariously placed on his chest
On New Year's, a 13-year-old boy was struck in the head while he was watching fireworks at his home. Diego Duran lost his sense of smell, his short-term memory and had to undergo extensive surgeries to survive. Law officials have struggled to combat the gunfire. 'It's one of those things that's pretty tough to prevent, other than to plead for discretion and good judgment,' Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said to the Tampa Bay Times.
Strong: Mr Smeraldo called the near death experience a 'miracle' and is speaking out to warn others of the dangers of celebratory gunfire
Healing: Mr Smeraldo was rushed to Mease Countryside Hospital, where they stitched up his nose and chin from the 9mm bullet's damage
Diego Duran's mother, Sandy, has teamed up with Joe Krawtschenko, a firearms instructor, to create the Bullet Free Sky initiative, to require more rigorous safety training for those who obtain concealed-weapon permits.
'You have a ton of people out there with guns who have no idea how to use them,' Mr Krawtschenko said.
