JAMES: JOE PETRY NEVER EXPECTED TO SPEND HIS FIRST SUMMER AS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE MEETING WITH A PLASTIC SURGERON. NOW, PREPARING FOR HIS FIFTH SURGERY JUST SINCE CHRISTMAS. THAT’S THE DAY JOE LIT A FIREWORK AND BLEW APART HIS HAND. >> THERE WAS SO MUCH BLOOD LOSS. LIKE, MY DRIVEWAY WAS COVERED IN BLOOD. JAMES: AT 17 YEARS OLD, JOE NEARLY DIED. HIS BODY, BROKEN AND BURNE SEVEN DAYS IN INTENSIVE CARE. THE DAMAGE TO HIS HAND, SO GRAPHIC, WE HAVE TO BLUR THE PHOTOS. >> IT’S VERY GRUESOME, UNFORTUNATELY. JAMES: DR. NAGI AYOUB HAS BEEN WORKING TO REBUILD WHAT THE FIREWORK RIPPED APART. >> IT’S ONE OF THOSE INJURIES WHERE YOU HAVE TO TAKE WHAT YOU GOT AND THEN TRY TO CONTROL TH DAMAGE INITIALLY. JAMES: SKIN GRAFFS AND SURGERIES, RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION. >> CAN YOU PICK UP SOME STUFF LIKE A PEN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? >> YEAH. >> HOW ABOUT HOLDING A CAN TO DRINK? >> I CAN PIT IT UP FOR SURE, BUT I CAN’T SIP IT JAMES: A PROCESS THAT’S LONG AND PAINFUL. >> EVEN UP TO THIS DAY, IT STILL GETS BAD. KETV -- JAMES: AND IT’S JUST TO GET BASIC FUNCTION BACK. >> THE HAND IS NEVER THE SAME. JAMES: WHICH IS WHAT JOE AND HIS DOCTOR WANT YOU THINK ABOUT OVER THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY. BECAUSE AS BAD AS WHAT HAPPENED TO JOE IS -- >> IT COULD’VE BEEN MUCH WORLSE FOR HIM. JAMES: IT’S NOT AS BAD AS IT GETS. JAMES WILCOX, KETV NEWSWATCH