Who was considered collateral damage in the NYC water supply contamination Cover Up?
Jackson's Army: How One Mother's Loss May Have Uncovered A Much Larger Tragedy
"Ignorance is bliss" as the old saying goes, until your child is diagnosed with cancer. I have lived in this area since I was 12 - now 34, my first born stolen from an awful disease. During his last days of life, I watched as tumors in his brain slowly applied so much pressure to his brain stem, his basic functions shut down.
To lose a child has to be the most painful unnatural thing any person can endure - rocks you to your core, every ounce of your being shattered. Broken. It moves you in such a way, yet you still wake up each day, looking for something to make it better, a purpose, a reason why. As I tried to pick up the broken pieces after Jackson passed away, I came across some startling information in regards to the town I had grown up in, the town I lived during my pregnancy with Jackson and his first year and a half of life, a town full of people I consider friends and even some not.
I found out that there are three EPA sites that have highly contaminated substances lurking underneath their surface: Ellenville Scrap Metal & Iron located on Cape Avenue, (at the bottom of Ulster Heights Road) an active NPL (National Priorities List) EPA site. Napanoch Paper Mill, an active EPA site but not on the NPL list, and the old Channel Masters / VAW an “archived” EPA site, meaning it no longer is seen as a threat to humans or the environment.
Three sites within a two-mile radius: two of those sites being on the low side of the mountain, one being in the valley's low point, each with streams near - combining as one creek in the valley, that flood the valley during hurricanes and heavy rain. I started researching...picking my brain for local people that I knew had died of cancer. I was startled to say the least, and began to feel overwhelmed.
I had to make people aware of what I was now becoming aware of, maybe then they would feel motivated to be active with me in finding out answers. As I start reaching out, people are apprehensive to share their information - they are worried about property value. What about the value of my four-year-old son's life? What about the value of any child, mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or friend? What kind of human being values things, objects and buildings more than a person’s life? I decided I needed to act - real action. I went to a town meeting and asked for use of the town hall so I could have a meeting to inform the public, the people they serve, and they said no. Newspapers caught wind of my plight and I was suddenly catapulted forward on to something so great it was beyond overwhelming. I took it as it came and will continue to do so until I can get answers for all that have been affected.
I researched the chemicals found at high levels at these aforementioned sites and their effects on health, and the diseases they cause. I found that it is not only a variety of cancers. More overwhelmed by the work I had ahead of me, to compile a disease registry so powerful no one could deny it. I talk to the people in the community who have lived in the area and they told me stories about all of the people that have been diagnosed, or the stories they have heard about chemicals being dumped at the old VAW building but they're reluctant to publicly say it. They tell me of other places scattered throughout the town that may have contaminants. I’am told many teachers from the Ellenville School District have had cancer or thyroid issues.
"Ignorance is bliss" as the old saying goes, until your child is diagnosed with cancer. I have lived in this area since I was 12 - now 34, my first born stolen from an awful disease. During his last days of life, I watched as tumors in his brain slowly applied so much pressure to his brain stem, his basic functions shut down.
To lose a child has to be the most painful unnatural thing any person can endure - rocks you to your core, every ounce of your being shattered. Broken. It moves you in such a way, yet you still wake up each day, looking for something to make it better, a purpose, a reason why. As I tried to pick up the broken pieces after Jackson passed away, I came across some startling information in regards to the town I had grown up in, the town I lived during my pregnancy with Jackson and his first year and a half of life, a town full of people I consider friends and even some not.
I found out that there are three EPA sites that have highly contaminated substances lurking underneath their surface: Ellenville Scrap Metal & Iron located on Cape Avenue, (at the bottom of Ulster Heights Road) an active NPL (National Priorities List) EPA site. Napanoch Paper Mill, an active EPA site but not on the NPL list, and the old Channel Masters / VAW an “archived” EPA site, meaning it no longer is seen as a threat to humans or the environment.
Three sites within a two-mile radius: two of those sites being on the low side of the mountain, one being in the valley's low point, each with streams near - combining as one creek in the valley, that flood the valley during hurricanes and heavy rain. I started researching...picking my brain for local people that I knew had died of cancer. I was startled to say the least, and began to feel overwhelmed.
I had to make people aware of what I was now becoming aware of, maybe then they would feel motivated to be active with me in finding out answers. As I start reaching out, people are apprehensive to share their information - they are worried about property value. What about the value of my four-year-old son's life? What about the value of any child, mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or friend? What kind of human being values things, objects and buildings more than a person’s life? I decided I needed to act - real action. I went to a town meeting and asked for use of the town hall so I could have a meeting to inform the public, the people they serve, and they said no. Newspapers caught wind of my plight and I was suddenly catapulted forward on to something so great it was beyond overwhelming. I took it as it came and will continue to do so until I can get answers for all that have been affected.
I researched the chemicals found at high levels at these aforementioned sites and their effects on health, and the diseases they cause. I found that it is not only a variety of cancers. More overwhelmed by the work I had ahead of me, to compile a disease registry so powerful no one could deny it. I talk to the people in the community who have lived in the area and they told me stories about all of the people that have been diagnosed, or the stories they have heard about chemicals being dumped at the old VAW building but they're reluctant to publicly say it. They tell me of other places scattered throughout the town that may have contaminants. I’am told many teachers from the Ellenville School District have had cancer or thyroid issues.
When will enough be enough? When will we fight for the people that live, work and go to school in our town?
I realize this may be a major issue that has the potential to instill fear and shake us to our core, but I am only looking out for people. I don’t want anyone to ever watch their child die before their eyes to brain cancer or any cancer. It's ugly - it's torture, and no parent should see their child in such a state that they beg God to just take him already. I assure you it is far scarier hearing the words, "your child has cancer" or "there’s nothing more we can do."
What about, "your town has cancer"? That’s scary isn’t it? Yes, it is. What are you going to do? Refuse treatment and just let it take you or are you going to fight? Well, anyone that has followed Jackson knows how hard we fought, he fought, he was a fighter and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. It will not go away, I will not go away, just like his cancer didn’t go away, it just kept coming back, until he reached his limit. The more we ignore this and don’t face it head on, the more people will suffer.
There are tons of places to build a home but only child, one mother, one father, one aunt, one uncle, no other alike. I shouldn’t be afraid to send my child to school. I shouldn’t feel fear when it rains. We need answers. We need better testing. So, what will it be? We all want to argue about who we would have preferred for president, bury our heads, talk about trivial things - how about we unite for our community and the future of it?
Be brave, be bold, and never ever give up hope for a better future.
I realize this may be a major issue that has the potential to instill fear and shake us to our core, but I am only looking out for people. I don’t want anyone to ever watch their child die before their eyes to brain cancer or any cancer. It's ugly - it's torture, and no parent should see their child in such a state that they beg God to just take him already. I assure you it is far scarier hearing the words, "your child has cancer" or "there’s nothing more we can do."
What about, "your town has cancer"? That’s scary isn’t it? Yes, it is. What are you going to do? Refuse treatment and just let it take you or are you going to fight? Well, anyone that has followed Jackson knows how hard we fought, he fought, he was a fighter and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. It will not go away, I will not go away, just like his cancer didn’t go away, it just kept coming back, until he reached his limit. The more we ignore this and don’t face it head on, the more people will suffer.
There are tons of places to build a home but only child, one mother, one father, one aunt, one uncle, no other alike. I shouldn’t be afraid to send my child to school. I shouldn’t feel fear when it rains. We need answers. We need better testing. So, what will it be? We all want to argue about who we would have preferred for president, bury our heads, talk about trivial things - how about we unite for our community and the future of it?
Be brave, be bold, and never ever give up hope for a better future.
JACKSON'S ARMY HOME PAGE
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