The mother of an 8-year-old Anaheim girl who was killed by an illegal firework explosion last year has started a business in her daughter’s honor.
Haley Doan parks her new boba truck at Sigler Park in Westminster. It’s called Sassy Boba Greatea, named after Doan’s daughter Jasmine who died from injuries suffered in the explosion.
For people who lost loved ones, grief comes in different forms — so too, do the tributes. For Doan, it’s a mix of her daughter’s favorite drinks and her personality.
“She loves boba,” Doan said. “I think it’s her. I think it’s Jasmine, her bubbly side. She’s always happy, dance.”
The cartoon character on the truck is based on a photo of Jasmine that was widely shared on her GoFundMe after the 8-year-old was killed by an illegal firework explosion at a friend’s house in Buena Park last Fourth of July. That friend is now facing manslaughter charges, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
“Through initial investigation, a large illegal fireworks display, which was placed in the street by the homeowner, failed and began misfiring toward the residence where the child was,” police said in a statement at the time. “This caused other illegal fireworks to ignite, which were near the child and others. At some point, the child had been struck, causing fatal injuries.”
“It wasn’t meant to happen,” Doan said. “He’s not intended to cause any problems like that. It was just supposed to be fun day.”
After the tragedy, Doan says she had to shut down her previous business — a tea shop in Anaheim, where Jasmine was her mom’s little helper.
“The loss of Jasmine is hard for me,” Doan said. “I just got to be strong to move on with the whole thing.”
A Fourth of July celebration turned tragic in Buena Park after police say an 8-year-old girl was killed as a result of a firework-related explosion. Amber Frias reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on July 5, 2025.
Day by day, Doan says she got stronger, and she knew she wanted to turn her tragedy into something that brings joy. She eventually bought a truck using a portion of the GoFundMe donations, and that’s when Sassy Boba was born.
“This is kind of like the community truck,” Doan said. “All the money that helped the grieving time, I used it to create her memories.”
She hopes to continue to bring people smiles by sharing Jasmine’s bubbly spirit.
“It warms my heart every single time looking at it,” Doan said. “I’m driving around with her always there, and she’s outside of my car.”
Doan says she feels a sense of peace while she’s inside her truck. She’s usually at Sigler Park Monday through Friday.