An estimated 2.8 million U.S. vets were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.
Agent Orange contains poisonous chemical dioxin and is linked to serious health issues including cancers, severe psychological and neurological problems, and birth defects.
This is something my family has been personally affected by.
Not just because of the repercussions my grandfather faced, but also myself, my aunt, and my cousins.
While I don't know a ton about the science behind Agent Orange or even how much was known at the time of its use, a part of me strongly, strongly believes that the effects were at least partially known. And recognizing that isn't nearly enough.
I'll never forget the day my grandfather passed. Even leading up to the day itself, the majority of what I can remember was how my grandpa was slowly being crippled by cancer, bedridden and unconscious in the home he shared with my grandma.
I was celebrating my 16th birthday that evening, and when I got home from school, my mom's car was gone and I knew. I knew before I even made it inside the house. I'm now 21 and I still remember that day very vividly.
Finally, last March I got a tattoo to memorialize him and carry him with me always. The writing is from a love letter I have that he wrote to my grandmother. I could not have asked for it to come out more perfectly (Longwood student, I highly recommend Joker's Wild) and I find myself constantly rubbing my fingers over it in times of stress or sadness.
There's a lot I don't understand about why what happened to my grandpa happened, and I don't think I ever will grasp it fully. But being able to carry him with me eases the heartache a little.
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