Hawaii man describes 'powerful and hot' lava bomb snapping his leg in half

Darryl Clinton was helping a family to evacuate as he admired the volcano eruption from the roof when a lava spatter snapped his leg in half.

Clinton, a native of California, opened up about the horrific experience in an interview with KHON. He described that the impact was powerful and hot.

At the time of the accident, Clinton was helping a family evacuate when all of a sudden, a lava spatter hit his leg, which crushed it from his shin reaching to his foot, as revealed on the GoFundMe page set up for him.

Talking to KOHN, he recalled it was the most intense impact he had ever felt on his body in his entire life.

“I’ve been hit by big waves and various things. That was just incredibly powerful and hot. It burned,” he said.

It was fortunate that Clinton’s friend was there to wrap his leg in a sheet as they took him down five flights of stairs for him to receive immediate medical attention.

Clinton recalled how he only had one thought. He only thought of his two teenage daughters the entire time.

As for his injury, Clinton described that his leg was in half and he saw his bone sticking out at the time.

Luckily, the doctors at the Hilo Medical Center successfully saved Clinton’s leg. Although, he was advised to let it rest for six weeks.

Even though he suffered a terrible fate because of the eruption, Clinton said it was incredible.

He shared how he felt that it was a once in a lifetime event.

“Every aspect of the lava was there,” he said. “The sounds, the sites, the flowing lava, the fissures. It was all happening at one time.”

Clinton really admired its beauty, but he admitted that he had enough of the lava.