Posted on August 26, 2019
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 Joe, shared by his daughter, Justine, who is 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.
“Face Full of Asbestos” – Joe’s Story
Name: Joe
Location: Arizona
Date of Birth: 02/27/1960
Diagnosis: Mesothelioma
Date of Diagnosis: 2015
Treatment: Radiation
Date of Death: 12/28/2015
How has asbestos changed your life? (Shared by his daughter, Justine, unedited)
My dad was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. He worked for Empire/Caterpillar on diesel generators. He loved his job so much. We were very close. It was a mass in his lung, which turned into brain tumors. I came home one day & my dad looked at me as if he didn’t have a clue who I was. It was devastating. I called my aunt because it was just him & me where we lived, and she drove down from Idaho to help me get him to the hospital because I had no idea what was going on with him. He always told me that when he was younger he was working a job and he wore a gas mask & the hose came off & he got a face full of asbestos. He always said that would be how he’d go..I miss him very much. I thought that when he was headed to the hospital that everything was going to be okay…but it only got worse. My aunt was asking me how much money was left of his 401k. and I told her that it was none of my business! After that she convinced my dad that I was just after his money & he believed her because he wasn’t in his right frame of mind. My heart hurts because she made it to where the last days of his life were spent without his daughter & best friend. I will never forgive her for that. Rest in peace Joseph Michael LaBarber-till we meet again.
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