Stray firework destroys Garden Grove man's home, damages his prosthetic leg

Anthony Scotti is now living in a motel after a stray firework destroyed his Garden Grove home, reduced nearly everything he owns to ashes and damaged his prosthetic leg.

"I saw some smoke in my peripheral vision. I saw flames flared up," Scotti said. 

Scotti said the firework shot through his window screen, landed inside his closet and ignited the blaze on July 5. Inside were family photos, momentos and a collection of vintage arcade games that he had spent years restoring. 

He didn't have his prosthetic leg on when he started thinking about what to save.

"My mind started to spiral. What do you grab? Do you go for photos? I totally spaced on my father's military flag that was at his burial," Scotti said. "I was a little confused, looking around, what to grab. I even skipped the prosthetic."

Scotti left his prosthetic behind as he escaped. Back in a wheelchair, he hopes the leg can be repaired after the flames caused intense heat damage. 

Since he couldn't afford renter's insurance, Scotti said the costs of the fire have skyrocketed. His niece created a GoFundMe to help him start over and rebuild his life. 

"It's tough too," Scotti said. "Those little tidbits that you grew up with. I grew up in that neighborhood."

Firefighters managed to save a few of Scotti's belongings, including the American flag presented to his family at his father's funeral. 

Despite the struggles, Scotti promised to stay resilient.

"I chose to forge forward on and take the high road," Scotti said.