In the months following Paul Cotter's 2014 prostate cancer diagnosis, his wife, Diane, watched helplessly as her once healthy and fit husband, a lieutenant with Massachusetts' Worcester Fire Department, spent his days wasting away in the recliner. "I couldn't get him out of that chair," says Diane, 63, of Paul, now 64. "He was literally leaving me physically and emotionally, and I couldn't do anything about it." Diane was convinced that Paul's cancer was the result of toxic smoke and gases he was exposed to because of a failure in the protective coat and pants-known as turnout gear-worn while battling fires. So one day she rummaged through his gear in the basement, inspecting it with his powerful flashlight, and made a startling discovery: "I saw all these quarter- and dime-size holes in the crotch area," she recalls. "I told myself, 'Holy cow, this is how all these chemicals got into his body."" Diane has since been on a quest to understand what could have contributed to her husband's diagnosis and also to explain what's behind the skyrocketing cancer rates among firefighters.
This story is from the January 08, 2024 edition of People US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 08, 2024 edition of People US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
DRAWING STRENGTH TOGETHER
WHEN HE SAW HIS TEEN DAUGHTER STRUGGLING, COMIC BOOK AUTHOR ETHAN SACKS CREATED A HERO TO GIVE HER HOPE. THEN THEY JOINED FORCES TO FINISH THE STORY
Her Love Affair With Words
THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MORE THAN 210 BOOKS REFLECTS ON HER CAREER, THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK AND WHY SHE'LL NEVER DITCH HER TRUSTED TYPEWRITER FOR A COMPUTER
WHAT I KNOW NOW
THE X-FILES ACTOR AND PODCAST HOST REFLECTS ON PARENTING, SUCCESS AND THE SILVER LINING OF EVERY FAILURE
'I DON'T THINK ABOUT AGE'
THE MATRIX ACTRESS REFLECT ON HER QUIET LIFE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, PARENTING AND STEPPING INTO THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE
'I Didn't Just Survive I Thrived'
Rare flesh-eating bacteria took Aimee Copeland's limbs in 2012. But she persevered
TONY HALE FACING HIS FEARS
THE EMMY-WINNING ACTOR IS ON AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER WITH HIS NEW FILM INSIDE OUT 2 AND AS A DAD WATCHING HIS DAUGHTER GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL
'I Take Bold Risks!'
THE OSCAR-WINNING ACTRESS GETS READY TO HOST THE TONY AWARDS FOR THE THIRD TIME AND OPENS UP ABOUT FAME, HAVING FUN AND FINDING HER FOOTING
You Oughta Know...
The actress-musician, 35, wrote the hit Broadway musical Suffs, about women's fight to vote. It's nominated for six Tonys
Donald Trump Found Guilty of 34 Felonies
On May 30 a New York jury delivered a historic verdict in the first criminal case against a former Commander in Chief
Padma Lakshmi Feels 'More Confident Now' Than in Her 20s
“If you had told me I would be modeling lingerie at 35, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Padma Lakshmi says with a laugh.