Five-year-old Joshua Rufus can write his name, play video games, and get himself dressed. While those activities may sound normal for a child his age, Joshua does all of these with one hand. Three years ago, when Joshua was just two years old, his right hand was blown off by a scratch bomb. The toddler somehow got hold of a scratch bomb and held it up to a lit deya in the gallery of his family’s home when traged struck.
The Sunday Guardian visited Joshua and his family earlier this week at their Debe home. The bubbly youngster was quite excited by the visit and ran around singing the theme song for his favourite cartoon, Paw Patrol. After introductions were made, he offered to show this reporter his new pair of shoes, which he seemed especially proud of.
His mother, Mindy Sookram, said he has little to no memory of the incident. On November 22, National Security Minister Stuart Young announced a ban on scratch bombs and said anyone found using them will face prosecution for possession of an illegal weapon.
"There are times when he says he doesn’t know but other times when he would say little things so we are not sure if he can remember, little children do make up stories sometimes. For a while he never spoke about it, it was like he had blocked it out completely. If you asked him he would say he didn’t know anything about it," she said.
Joshua was warded at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) for two months following the incident.
"He can remember his hospital stay and he talks about it sometimes," Sookram said.
Asked how she felt about the ban on scratch bombs, Sookram said, "I totally agree with it. I wish it would have been put into place sooner, but I am glad it is finally here."
Before the incident, Joshua used his right hand to do everything. But Sookram said his injury has not stopped his development as he continues to strive.
“He was right-handed but he has learned to write with his left hand now. I don’t find his injury holds him back—he will try to dress, although it is hard he tries to do it himself. He eats by himself, he can go to the toilet by himself, he does everything for himself. He has learned to adapt.”
Joshua was eager to show off his handwriting skills, printing his name in a copybook under the watchful eye of his mother and then proclaiming proudly, “That is my name…Joshua Rufus!”
Asked about the events of that fateful night, Joshua’s father, Marcus Rufus, became emotional, saying he remembers it all with painful clarity.
“We had just bought the car and it was parked in the yard, it was my sister’s birthday and we were going to drop a little gift for her but she reached same time. The car door was open and I went to close it when I heard this bang,” Rufus said.
“I shouted "Mindy" and ran into the gallery. He was lying on the ground with blood around him. I picked him up and my wife came running up. I told her to get a towel for his hand...I remember saying, "It really bad"…
"Minutes turned into hours...I felt like I was going crazy but I was holding his hand in mine and I just watched my wife and said, "It bad," because I knew."
Rufus cradled his younger son until an ambulance arrived and took them to the SFGH.
Lessons learned
He said the incident has changed the way his family lives and especially changed how they celebrate Divali.
"Most people don’t know the real repercussions of anything until it actually happens to them or somebody in their family. Like this Divali, we lit our deyas but we weren’t home, we lit our deyas before we left. We don’t allow them to play in the yard, they don’t even get starlights, the only thing we allow them to play with are fun snaps," Rufus said.
Joshua, who was sitting on his father's lap, chimed in with a smile, "We were throwing plenty fun snaps outside."
Rufus said he was thankful that Joshua does not face any discrimination at school from his peers. Joshua attends Penal Government Primary School where he is a First Year pupil.
“Everyone treats him the same as they would any other child, there is no difference.”
Every new experience has become a learning opportunity for him as a father, he said.
"We have been together for eight years and I feel like every day I learn something new as a father, they amaze me the things that they can do at their ages, they are the best thing in my life," he said.
Rufus said his other son, seven-year-old Anthony, is Joshua’s guardian angel.
"He has a very good big brother, his brother looks out for him and helps him along all the time, especially since they are now going to the same school," he said.
While both parents said loud noises do not seem to phase Joshua, Mindy admitted that she panicks whenever she hears a loud explosion.
"Up until now I still worry about it. He is not scared or bothered by any loud noises but I will get panicked if I hear something like that."
Ban on scratch bombs, 'a national nuisance'
On November 22 National Security Minister Stuart Young announced a ban on the importation of scratch bombs and declared that anyone caught with scratch bombs will be charged for possession of a dangerous weapon.
He described it as "a real national nuisance".
Over the past few years, there have numerous instances of people, animals, and property being damaged by scratch bombs.
During this year’s Divali celebrations, a family of nine lost their home when a fire broke out. The blaze has been blamed on scratch bombs. In 2016, Talparo grandmother, Sally Ann Cuffie, her son, daughter-in-law, and her infant granddaughter were driving through Las Lomas when a scratch bomb was flung into their car. Before the bomb could explode, Cuffie grabbed it and tried to throw it out the window but it blew up in her hands, damaging her fingers and leaving her hospitalised. In 2015 a Freeport man lost several of his fingers when a scratch blew up in his hands.
The problem of scratch bombs has also been prevalent in schools and this year, a Barataria South Secondary school teacher was hospitalised after a student attacked him for trying to take away his scratch bombs.
Speaking to the media after the ban was announced, Young said the police can start enforcing this law immediately. Those caught breaking the law will be charged and hauled before the courts.
Several petitions calling for a ban on scratch bombs and greater regulation of fireworks use flooded social media in the days leading up to and following Divali.
Safety tips
As the Christmas season approaches, many families may want to buy and set off fireworks. Although there are no safe fireworks for children, there are preventative measures that adults can take to safeguard children from harm when fireworks are being set off.
• Consider skipping at-home fireworks—There public fireworks displays that are put on by professionals for New Years and other holidays. These shows may give families the entertainment they seek, without putting their young ones in harm’s way.
• Make sure you buy legal fireworks—Scratch bombs are now banned in T&T because of the risk of using them, so keep children away from them at all times.
• Keep children away from fireworks—While it may seem fun for youngsters to set off their own fireworks, doing so can put them at risk for serious burns or disfigurement. Do not allow young children to light fireworks.
• Find alternatives—There are glow sticks and other light-up toys that children can enjoy as much as or even more than fireworks.
• Create a safety zone—If you intend to set off a fireworks display, ensure your children are kept at a safe distance, you can consider setting up a safety zone where the children can stay with adult supervision to look at the fireworks.
• Keep a bucket of water nearby—In case something goes wrong, you will be able to put out a fire before it spreads.
• Do not try to re-ignite failed fireworks—If the fireworks do not go off when they are first lit, they can be defective and blow up in your hands if you try to re-light them.
• Never throw or point fireworks at another person or pet—doing so can cause serious injury and even death.
• Have an emergency plan—If all other safety measures fail, ensure you and your family know what to do in times of a fireworks-related accident.
