Posted on January 7, 2015
We have been touched by asbestos in individual ways, yet we are joined together by a bond of community. As a testament to the strength of our global family, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is highlighting the courageous stories of our members with the “Share Your Story” feature on our website.
This week, we would like to honor the story of Mike, as shared by his daughter, Robin, who is a part of our ADAO family.
We encourage you to submit your personal stories by clicking here and following the simple instructions on the page. In sharing, comes healing. Remember, you are not alone.
“The Opportunity to Grow as a Person” – Mike’s Story
Name: Mike
State: Ohio
Date of Birth: JULY 1951
Date of Diagnosis: SEP 2009
Diagnosis: Mesothelioma
Date of Death: JAN 2011
How has asbestos changed your life? (Updated on April 17, 2017)
My father was diagnosed with Mesothelioma lung cancer in September 2009. They found over 20 tumors on his lung. The first doctor we visited told us not to fight it, but we refused to give up. After surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, the cancer spread to my father’s brain. He died on January 5th 2011. Losing my father has been a traumatic experience for not only me, but for my whole family. Asbestos killed my father and now he has missed mine and my sister’s graduations and the birth of his granddaughter. It is not easy to lose a loved one, and it is something you can never truly move on from. I took this experience as an opportunity to grow as a person. Dealing with my father’s illness made my family and I much stronger. We have all been truly humbled by our experiences. Mike Tucker was a great son, brother, husband, father, and friend. He will forever be in our hearts. Today my family and I choose to honor my father by fighting for an asbestos ban. My father did not have to die, and we will never stop fighting for justice!
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