Construction making Milwaukee area boy sick, family found help to get DOT to take action

NOW: Construction making Milwaukee area boy sick, family found help to get DOT to take action
NEXT:

construction near Gabriel's home

He often wears masks and limits time outdoors
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Gabriel Miller, a 5-year-old Milwaukee area boy with severe asthma, found his symptoms only got worse when construction on the Zoo Interchange started near his home.

"His chest would sink in very far," recalls his mother Tiffani. "He was fighting to get breathing. We took him to the Children's ER many times."

A nurse reached out to the Partners for Asthma Action through the American Lung Association.

A house visit soon determined that construction dust posed a serious threat.

By this time they had tried filters and ruled out all other triggers in the family home.

"They did a study of their truck plans and routes," explained Partners for Asthma Action worker Sarah Brundidge. "They weren't able to change idling routes. But they did spray down the dust and that seemed to help Gabriel."

Through this, Gabriel has become a mini-celebrity among the construction workers. They often stop by and chat with him during their breaks to see how he’s doing.

In addition to working with the construction company, the American Lung Association worked with Gabriel’s pulmonologist, the West Allis Department of Health, multiple divisions of the State Department of Health, the EPA, the Department of Transportation, the WI Asthma Coalition, and Medicaid to help improve his quality of life.

The family is hopeful having seen that Gabriel’s asthma symptoms have been dramatically decreased.

But they do wonder how many other Gabriels are out there and if delays on completing road projects could be making things worse.

To see the entire interview with Gabriel's mom click here

For more information on the Partners for Asthma Action click here




Share this article: