DIXON, CA (MPG) - Dixonite Kayla Robinson wants you to know her family's story.

The 4th of July will never be the same for them as one year ago, her only brother, Danny Kittell, lost his life in a house fire caused by the "improper disposal of fireworks."

The married mother of two small children recanted what started as a happy and fun family gathering that turned into the worst nightmare anyone can imagine.

"It’s one of those things in America that is celebrated every year, but you never think that it’s going to happen to you," she said. "We were all at his home that he had just purchased in North Highlands and we went to the Rodeo and came back with a small pack of fireworks. They lasted maybe ten minutes."

Kayla, who has lived here since she was about 8 years old describes herself as a mom who is "very responsible and very cautious" when it comes to these things.

"We thought we took all the necessary precautions; hosed off the lawn and the bushes and made sure everything was nice and secure. We rinsed off all the cartridges and made sure there was nothing warm to the touch and put it all in the trash can that was located in the garage. But that morning about 2:30 am, my niece called and said she had just jumped out of her bedroom window, that the house was on fire and that "My Dad was stuck inside," Kayla's voice cracked. Her niece was 11 at the time. Kayla told her to run across the street and call 911.

"She said the firemen were pulling up, so I stayed on the phone with her. She was just in shock. She said she could hear her Dad yelling. They got him out of the house, and she thought he was fine, but they took him immediately to the ICU," Kayla said. "I remember sitting in the lobby and watching it all on the news and watching his house burn. He ended up passing on July 6 in the evening. Eighty percent of his body was burned but the main thing was the smoke damage to his brain," she said, pausing again.

"When it was time to let him go and my mom was holding his hand, she told him, 'Danny, we love you and everything is going to be fine. Give us a sign that you can hear me.' Across the entire room, and the second she said that the [sensored] towel dispenser spit out a paper towel. There was no wind, no shadow, nothing that could have set that off," she said. And then he died. Danny was 33.

Firefighters originally thought the fire started in the front yard but after investigations, the family was told it was caused by "improper disposal of fireworks."

"If I had known before that those extra seconds it takes to soak them would have kept him alive...everyone needs to know and take the time. Leave them in a bucket of water. If you think everything is safe, do another round with the hose knowing how dangerous those things can be," she said. "After the fact, our lives have never been the same."

Kayla is diligent now to make sure the smoke detectors work and they have an escape plan, for example.

"It's been a full year of adjusting to him not being there," she said. "It's not really a holiday."