Current News Headlines • Former plant worker owed $400,000 • The Passing of Fred W. Armstrong • The Passing of Mr. Alfred Puckett
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Reporter - Lauren Adams
Photojournalist - David Dycus
Story Created: Feb 22, 2011 at 7:23 PM CDT
Story Updated: Feb 23, 2011 at 12:30 AM CDT
PADUCAH — Alone in a hospital room, Bill Walker is watching the clock. He is beginning to realize just how precious time is.
"The doctors said they was gonna unplug me," said Walker, referring to an incident last week. "Dot wouldn't let them unplug me."
Dot is his wife of 48 years and the reason Bill is still fighting.
"I know I'm going. I'm just getting my family prepared for it."
Walker, 66, knows a recovery is out of the question. He is a veteran of Paducah's Gaseous Diffusion Plant. He blames his tenure there on his sickness. It is called chronic berillium disease, or CBD, something that makes it nearly impossible to breathe.
"I was working at the wrong place at the wrong time."
Gary Vander Boegh said he was, too, and that is why he is dedicated to helping Bill Walker, a colleague he has never met.
"This man should not be losing his life," Vander Boegh said Tuesday, wrapping up a visit with Walker at the hospital.
In fact, he said, the Department of Labor should be helping him.
"He's entitled to $400,000."
But he said, they are not, "They're saying they can't prove he was exposed to berillium."
Once Walker passes away, the claim would pass on to his wife and the amount would decrease from $400,000 to $125,000.
After three years of fighting, Vander Boegh said Walker's claim has gotten nowhere.
"Letting him here to die," Vander Boegh lamented. "This is bold-faced, unadultered murder in my opinion."
But Bill Walker said it's not the money that bothers him. It's the time.
"I want all the time I can get but I know my time is limited."
Local 6 reached out to several people at Department of Labor. We did not receive a response.
The Passing of Fred W. Armstrong
On October 16, 2008, CES claimant Fred Armstrong passed away as a result of peripheral vascular disease (PVD), without receiving his long overdue EEOICPA compensation or benefits . Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Catherine and his family.
Judy Vander Boegh
Chief Executive Office/ President
Commonwealth Environmental Services