Angela has had to deal with something that no parent wishes to go through: the loss of a child. Her son, Cameron, was just 17 years old when he died from a severe asthma attack. As a kid, hospital visits, doctor's visits and allergy clinics were a routine part of his life. Cameron bravely dealt with asthma from a young age, yet the disease was a consistent pressure and weighed heavily on him. He wanted nothing more than to just be like everybody else.
Even at times when Cameron was maxed out on his meds, Angela could clearly tell that Cameron's asthma was not improving and his symptoms were not abating. Air quality and pollen were some of his triggers, and she knew that one could be controlled.
Angela joined efforts to help advocate for clean air after Cameron passed away. Having watched what Cameron went through, she realized that being able to breathe freely should not be taken for granted.
Angela remembers many times when Cameron would go outside and be forced back indoors, a mess from the effects of poor air quality. She believes that we can control our environment by cleaning up the air we breathe. "You cannot put a price tag on someone's life. People are priceless," Angela says. As more and more people die from complications due to air pollution, Congress should work to strengthen regulations that will help to clean our air and ultimately, protect the public health.
