MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Fireworks are a popular way to celebrate Independence Day, but for those who fought for our country, sudden loud noises, explosions and light flashes from fireworks can make them feel as if they’re back in a war zone.
“Your heart starts racing,” Army veteran Melissa Dion said. “I start sweating. Tears will start coming down. I’m just in like, ‘Oh my God, what just happened?’ Your mind will flip back to whatever combat you might have been in, and right now, it’s going to make me want to cry.”
Dion served in Iraq and Korea, and like many veterans, she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“When you’re in an environment for 365 days where a soda can on the side of the road could be an IED and blow up, you start noticing all those things,” Dion said. “You can’t, after doing that for so long, come back and not notice it.”
Fourth of July fireworks can be a major trigger for veterans with PTSD. When a veteran becomes startled, Dion said they may crouch, duck or hit the ground.
“I had an incident a few years ago on the Fourth of July where somebody threw firecrackers, and they threw them very close to me,” Dion said. “The only thing that I saw out of the corner of my eye was the flash. I started hearing the noise. I got on the ground underneath the chair that I was sitting in and pulled up a prone position, which is a fighting position, because that’s what triggered me.”
From July 1-6, Dion wears earplugs to bed in case fireworks wake her up and spark a visceral trauma response. She said she can still enjoy fireworks, as long as she’s aware ahead of time.
Dion urges neighbors to be mindful of veterans in their community, especially those with PTSD.
“Mine is very mild, but I know people that [PTSD] would put into a tailspin,” she said.
“It could be damaging to them, to their mental health, if they didn’t know what was going on. “
Dion said PTSD is different for everyone, so it’s especially important to know who your neighbors are and to inform them ahead of time if you’re planning to set off fireworks.
* * *
Shelby Martin is a multimedia journalist who joined the News13 team in May 2025. Shelby is from Orange County, California, and graduated in 2023 from California State University, Fullerton. You can read more of her work
here
.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
