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\nNathan, a Native American and member of the Oglala Sioux tribe, never smoked cigarettes. For 11 years, he worked at a casino that allowed smoking. Secondhand smoke contains dangerous chemicals. The exposure to secondhand smoke caused him to develop allergies and serious infections that triggered asthma attacks, eventually causing permanent lung damage called bronchiectasis. \u201cThe casino was filled with smoke from so many people smoking,\u201d he said. Breathing in other people\u2019s smoke on a daily basis made his health so bad that he had to leave that job.
\nNathan used to be active and athletic. He served in the Marines. He loved to participate in tribal dances. After getting sick, dancing just a few steps wore him out. Nathan hoped that sharing his story would help others understand how dangerous exposure to secondhand smoke really is. Nathan died at age 54 from lung damage caused by secondhand smoke exposure.
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\n \nNathan, a Native American and member of the Oglala Sioux tribe, had permanent lung damage. He never smoked cigarettes, but for 11 years he worked at a casino that allowed smoking. After breathing people\u2019s cigarette smoke daily, Nathan began to have frequent asthma attacks triggered by the secondhand smoke. \u201cYou could see the smoke hovering inside the casino,\u201d he recalled.
\nAs he worked at the casino, Nathan noticed more changes to his health. Along with asthma attacks, he started having frequent problems with eye irritation, headaches, allergies, ear and sinus infections, and bronchitis. Over the years, the symptoms got worse. \u201cA common cold escalated into pneumonia, sending me to the emergency room,\u201d he said. \u201cDuring one of the visits, a doctor was looking at x-rays of my lungs and commented that I had the lungs of a heavy smoker. I told him, \u2018I never smoked a day in my life!\u2019\u201d
\nIn 2009, doctors determined that Nathan\u2019s airways were seriously damaged by repeated infections from exposure to secondhand smoke, which led to scarring and widening of his airways called bronchiectasis. Lung damage from bronchiectasis is permanent. His lung problems were so serious that Nathan finally had to leave his job to avoid the smoke. Just walking a short distance, he would get out of breath and had to use oxygen daily.
\nNathan and his wife enjoyed a long marriage with five adult children and three grandchildren. Nathan prided himself on being a very active person. As a young man, he served in the Second Battalion, Fifth Marines reconnaissance division, where he received sniper training. He also raced motorcycles and received sponsorship from a major motorcycle company.
\nNathan participated in tribal dance competitions and loved to referee at high school basketball games, which he did for 14 years. \u201cI can\u2019t do any of those things anymore,\u201d he said.
\nNathan decided it was important to share his story, with the hope that others would not suffer as he did. He spoke at schools, Pow-Wows, and conferences as much as his health allowed. He wanted to make everyone aware of the dangers of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
\nYoung people were a special passion for Nathan. He urged teens not to start smoking and if they did, to quit. He encouraged everyone to protect children from secondhand smoke.
\n\u201cSome people tell me they smoke, and I ask them if they have grandchildren. \u2018If you smoke, you may be taking that smoke home to the grandchildren and their small lungs,\u2019 I tell them. I never smoked; look what happened to me. I want to make people aware of the damage that exposure to secondhand smoke can do to you.\u201d
\nThe secondhand smoke Nathan was exposed to permanently damaged his lungs and led to his early death. He died in 2013 at age 54.
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