Deadly Dust, Invisible Threat
For Gary Hairston, the cost of a lifetime in the coal mines is measured in breath. After decades underground, he was diagnosed with complicated Black Lung Disease, a progressive illness that has left him struggling to breathe.
Like many miners in Appalachia, Hairston entered the industry to support his family and build a stable life. Instead, he now lives with a disease that does not get better - only worse.
Now president of the National Black Lung Association, he warns younger miners about the dangers they cannot see, reflecting a broader reality: as oversight by the Mine Safety and Health Administration struggles to keep pace, workers continue to risk their health for a livelihood.
The following photos are portraits of Hairston in his Beckley, W.Va., home, as well as the surrounding area.
