I copied the posture that worked for a BB gun and applied it to a shotgun without understanding the physics, the recoil, the risk.

A child mimics what he knows, not realizing how different the stakes are.

I pulled the trigger.

The blast was instantaneous — a concussive punch that slammed into my shoulder and snapped my head sideways. A streak of pain tore across my face, hot and bright, and I screamed.

Blood ran down my cheek in a thin, warm line. For a moment, my father thought the worst — that I’d hit my eye, that this story ended with permanent darkness.

The cut stopped a millimeter short.


Want to read more stories like this?
9 Lives & Counting is my memoir of mischief, close calls, and the lessons learned from testing every limit I could find.
Coming June 2026.