A group gathered in Cary on Tuesday for the premiere of a documentary detailing the story of a woman whose life changed forever because of a sparkler.

The documentary follows Ginger Peters, who nearly lost her life after a sparkler ignited the dress she was wearing as she was celebrating her birthday. At a Cary fire station, Peters thanked the first responders, medical teams and community members who helped save her life and get her back to her family.

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Firefighters, EMS professionals, physicians, nurses, burn care specialists and community members gathered to honor Peters’ recovery. Peters showed some of her remaining burn scars, underscoring a message of fireworks safety and smart decision-making ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

“On September 19, my life changed in an instant,” Peters said. “From that moment forward, there was a whole chain of people who stepped in.”

Peters was celebrating her birthday in her backyard in September 2025 when a single ember fell on the hem of her dress. The dress caught fire, and Peters was engulfed in flames moments later.

By the time emergency crews arrived, 40% of Peters’ body had been burned. Surgeons later used an additional 20% of her skin for grafting.

“You were a little over 50 percent, and most people don’t even make it through 50 percent,” her husband, Allen Peters, explained.

At the special Save-A-Life event, state fire officials used Peters’ story to urge fireworks safety ahead of the holiday. Peters went through months of treatment and recovery after fluid collected around her lungs and her condition worsened. She was eventually placed on a life-support machine.

Her body finally stablized after months of recovery. Her friends and family members were present with encouragement. Nurses and therapists pushed her to improvement and eventually regain her strength and mobility. A GoFundMe page raised more than $200,000 to help.

"If sharing my story prevents even one child or one family from experiencing what I went through, then it's worth it," said Peters. "People don't realize how dangerous sparklers really are until it's too late."

Her story is a sobering reminder that sparklers, which are often marketed as a safer alternative to fireworks, burn hot enough to melt metal. They are also a leading cause of fireworks-related emergency room visits in the United States.

You can watch the documentary - The Dangers of Sparklers with Ginger Peters - on YouTube.

"I'm not going to allow this traumatic event to shape my entire life," Peters said. "Life still has to be lived. There's still going to be fire. There's still going to be fireworks, and so I'm not hiding at home away from those. I just have different decisions that I'm going to make."

The fire marshal’s office offered several safety tips ahead of the busy fireworks season:

• Never allow young children to handle sparklers.

• Remember that sparklers burn at temperatures above 2,000 degrees.

• Never hold a child while using a sparkler.

• Keep a safe distance from anyone using fireworks.

• Have a bucket of water or hose nearby to properly dispose of used sparklers.

• The safest way to enjoy fireworks is by attending a professionally conducted public display.