Kia Franklin

Sick 9/11 Hero “Loves Bush” But Not Government’s Neglect

Here is a very personal look at the effects of the government’s unresponsiveness to the health concerns caused by the September 11th attacks. This article reflects upon the health problems and frustrations of a 39-year-old now-disabled 9/11 rescue worker, Charles Giles. An excerpt:

“I’m a Republican, and I love George Bush, but they’ve got to do something,” he said.

Giles said he watched Christie Whitman, former New Jersey governor and administrator of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, testify before Congress this week. He was stunned when she continued to assert the government’s response was correct.

“If you mix concrete, plastic, jet fuel, human remains, paper, burned steel, cleaning agents and everything else that was there, add 3,000 degrees, it’s a recipe for disaster. And we all inhaled that disaster,” Giles said.

…”There needs to be a recognition that this is a specialized kind of medicine that you just can’t turn over to your family doctor,” he said. “There’s a government responsibility to deal with this.” Read Article

And this article explains how Giles, a husband and father of two, receives under $250 per week while burdened with medical bills that the government will not help pay. Giles, known for his generosity, now must rely on the help of others as he continues to await assistance from government agencies and even charities.

Posted at 12:24 PM, Jul 02, 2007 in Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)