Health Concerns Rise in East Palestine, Resident Sounds 'Like Mickey Mouse'

East Palestine resident Wade Lovett. (Credit: NY Post)
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It’s been almost a month since the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and railroad company Norfolk Southern’s decision to blow up train cars containing toxic chemicals. The resulting explosion sent a mushroom cloud of vinyl chloride over the small town of 4,700—and residents have been reporting ominous health effects ever since.

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Last week, RedState’s Nick Arama reported on the couple who found dead fish in the creeks, an oily sheen and coloration in the water, and a constant smell of burning and chemicals in the air. The NY Post reports Saturday that another resident, 40-year-old Wade Lovett, has had trouble breathing since the February 3 incident and his voice now sounds like Mickey Mouse.

Watch:

 

Lovett describes his strange symptoms:

LOVETT: …[My voice] has just been like this ever since the train blew up.

REPORTER: It’s crazy. What does your voice really sound like, Wade? I know you can’t tell us, but is it like that? You sound like Michael Jackson normally?

LOVETT: Lately I sound like Mickey Mouse.

FIANCEE TAWNYA: Yep, he’s got a deep raspy voice normally. 

The reporter then asks what the doctors are telling him. Lovett: 

My doctor says I most definitely have the chemicals in me. 

Lovett goes on to explain that he needs to see a toxicologist, but there are none in the area. He’s been trying to schedule an appointment, but for now, he says, “I’m just waiting around.”

The high voice isn’t the only symptom the auto detailer is experiencing:

My chest hurts at nighttime. It feels like I’m drowning a little…. I have a hard time breathing. I cough up phlegm a lot.

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Pretty weird stuff. He’s not the only one, either. This man thought he was going to die:

Locals have been infuriated by the lack of assistance from the Biden Administration and the shortage of information. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg finally made an appearance at the disaster site almost a full three weeks after the trainwreck. As RedState reported, it did not go well. Instead of the Biden Administration accepting any accountability for their response, Buttigieg laughably tried to blame the crash on former President Donald Trump.

It’s childish behavior, but if one of my kids shirked responsibility like that, they’d be in big trouble.

Not wanting to cede the spotlight, however, President Biden managed to look even worse than his Transportation Secretary, saying Friday on ABC News that he couldn’t “recall” if he’d spoken to East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway. Conaway, meanwhile, called Biden’s recent visit to Ukraine “the biggest slap in the face” considering he seemingly can’t be bothered to visit Ohio. “He doesn’t care about us,” the mayor charged.

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The long-term health consequences of this disaster are unknown, but deeply concerning considering what residents are reporting. One episode to me sums up the impotence of Biden’s response: former President Donald Trump was on site before either Joe or Pete.

Pathetic.

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