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New Kentucky Memorial Honors Miners Who Died Of Black Lung
By: Sydney Boles | Ohio Valley ReSource
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Coal miners and family members of miners who have died from black lung disease gathered Sunday in Whitesburg, Kentucky, to dedicate a new memorial to miners who perished from the workplace disease.
While Appalachian coal country has several memorials to mining disasters, this is believed to be the first memorial to remember the thousands of men and women who died from black lung.
William McCool was the first person to suggest the memorial after his father died of the disease.
“You know, let’s give these men the honor they deserve. Let’s not forget them,” he said.
The total number of coal miners who have died from the disease is unknown, but the Department of Labor says more than a thousand coal miners die of black lung each year. Black lung cases are surging in the Ohio Valley, and health officials say about one in five experienced miners in central Appalachian has some form of the disease.
McCool also suffers from black lung. He expects his name will be on the stone memorial one day, too.
“It would be a blessing to be with them boys,” he said.