Kentucky Basketball players visit Harlan County basketball player injured in firework accident

In case you needed a reminder that fireworks are dangerous, here’s one from Eastern Kentucky involving a name you might know.

Reggie Cottrell, a rising junior who was one of the stars of Harlan County’s Sweet 16 run, injured his hand yesterday at a July 4th party. According to his sister Lexie on Facebook, Cottrell was attempting to light a firework when it suddenly blew up. He was flown to UK Hospital in Lexington where surgeons amputated his pointer finger and parts of his middle and index fingers. They also put a metal wire into his thumb, which was broken.

“I appreciate everyone’s love and prayers after my accident on Thursday,” Cottrell said in a statement via Harlan County Public Schools. “I underwent surgery Thursday night and am recovering in the hospital. I am overwhelmed by the support for me and my family from Harlan County, the 13th region, and the entire state of Kentucky. Please continue to pray for me as I recover. I look forward to getting back home to Harlan County very soon and I am thankful for everyone’s love and support. Thank you!”

Lexie said her brother wasn’t being irresponsible and that the wick of the firework wasn’t even lit when it exploded.

“He wasn’t messing around and lighting fireworks being silly. He just got ahold of a bad firework. He went to light the firework and the wick didn’t even light, the firework just blew up. It happens every day in many places and it just so happened to happen to him, so just please have an adult around when lighting fireworks because you never know what’s going to happen.”

In her first post after the accident, Lexie joked that her brother was more worried about his hair than his fingers. Cottrell’s locks became famous during the Black Bears’ run to the Sweet 16 finals. Despite the injury, Lexie said her brother is determined to find his way back to the court.

“I just wanna say no matter what happens we know our boy gonna be out there on that court! It may be hard and it may be a struggle but Reggie Cottrell is a fighter! He will not give up.”

“I asked him if he was still going to play ball and he replied, ‘I’m Reggie Cottrell,’” she added this morning.

Of course, one of Cottrell’s teammates on that Harlan County squad was Trent Noah, now an incoming freshman at Kentucky. Noah took his new teammates Travis Perry, Lamont Butler, Kerr Kriisa, Ansley Almonor, and Andrew Carr to see Cottrell in the hospital, sharing this picture on his Instagram story:

Get well soon, Reggie. Be safe, everyone else.