video
The purpose for incorporating videos into
the celebration is to remind us all of the
sacrifices made for our freedom. “The reason
we can celebrate is because somebody else
paid the price,” Fred says. “That’s what we try
to get across. To get people to just think for
a minute and maybe carry something away
with them.”
Lisa Randall says the show is “a reminder to
be thankful… to remember to be thankful
for what they did and just thankful for what
we have”. She says the family has received so
much positive feedback from veterans who
attend the show. “They’ve told us how they
appreciate some young person putting that
together to remember them.”
That appreciation also comes from Blake
Suttles, Bradley’s brother-in-law, who is an
active member of the military. “Coming from
someone who’s actually been over there
and had to deal with some of that stuff, it
10
means a lot that people actually care rather
than wanting to throw a party on the 4th
of July,” Blake says. “They’re actually putting
forth some effort to show the veterans that
people do care.”
Bradley’s sister, Lexi, was 14 years old when
her brother started the show, “Personally,
this show has helped me,” she says. “When
I see a veteran, I want to go thank them,
because people my age probably don’t, and
you don’t want [veterans] to ever feel like
their sacrifice was in vain.”
Randall’s Firework Extravaganza is a huge
undertaking for Bradley and his family. It
has grown to feature up to 4,000 shots, a
long way from the 500 shots and makeshift
projector screen used the first year. “The first
time we did [a show] we just had a volleyball
net and hung a queen size sheet over that
volleyball net,” Fred explains.
July 2018
INSIGHT