As a family, we started camping at Pinchot State Park, York City, in 1979, when our two daughters were very young.

I turned on my portable radio to hear that the plant at TMI after having the partial meltdown was allowing radioactive gas to pass out the tower of the plant and into the environment! We were outraged at the news and quickly packed up and when home.

My daughters and I were members of the ‘ole Villa Leo pool (at the motel) off Rt 83 in New Cumberland. Federal investigators were sent to do research at TMI and stayed at that motel, sitting around the pool in their suits in the afternoon. Since this was the first such event at any nuclear plant, they were at a loss to know exactly what to do to remedy the situation or what to tell the local population.

She told me that the rest of the world is getting more information about this nuclear catastrophe than the local residents

As a family, we also had a craft show hobby, doing shows about five times a year in South Central PA. Just at that time, starting to do a show at the Lebanon Valley Mall, I got a call from my mother living in North Jersey. She told me that the rest of the world is getting more information about this nuclear catastrophe than the local residents and wanted us all to pack a bag and travel up to NJ for awhile. I closed up my stand at the craft show at that point and got things together to make the 3 hr trip to Bergen County, NJ. My husband, who worked in York at that time told me that he just could not leave, he had to go to work! So, everyday he drove back and forth to York from our home in Lower Allen Township.

For years the local phone book had a map showing the areas that were outside the 10 mile zone from TMI. So, what Physicist made that determination of such a safe zone? (We live just OUTSIDE the 10 mile zone) My daughters and I went to stay in NJ for about two weeks, and my husband kept calling and asking when we would be returning to PA.

SOON after the TMI event, residents in the TMI locale were coming down with cancer issues. The wife of a young man who was working at my husband’s plant and residing in Middletown near TMI contracted thyroid cancer. Radiation can go right through any structural building. Very sad indeed! To this day, the Township there gives out free pills to locals to consume…just in case of another event!

For years the local phone book had a map showing the areas that were outside the 10 mile zone from TMI.

“The Williams Family” that was taken at Janet’s mother-in-law’s house in New Cumberland.

7 years ago my youngest daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Fortunately, after surgery (nothing in lymph nodes) and chemo, she is now cancer free. 5 years ago, My husband was diagnosed with lymphoma and cancer that had spread to various parts of his body. Chemo and surgery could not stop the spread, and he passed away in 4 1/2 months. ‘Radiation exposure’ is a cause of lymphoma, especially going past TMI and being exposed twice a day. 3 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer, but with a great oncologist doing surgery and chemo right away (nothing in lymph nodes), so far so good….

What scared me a couple of years ago was another fire at TMI, but they were able to extinguish it, thank goodness. Evidently, the equipment used to operate TMI has never been upgraded. What people need to understand is that when TMI is at last SHUT DOWN, the containment areas have to be maintained for all infinity!!

Years ago, scientists were doing experiments with fusion whereby nuclear radiation is totally enveloped in the plant vs fission at TMI where nuclear waste has to be removed and transported to areas of the country to be buried in the ground in some radioactive unsafe wasteland. Europe is on the way to virtually doing away with their nuclear power plants.

My mother-in-law at that time lived the Manor Section of New Cumberland and developed lung cancer. She passed away later from the disease. Just about 5 years ago I talked to the neighbors who still live next door in New Cumberland and discovered that the wife had developed stage 4 lung cancer after the TMI event, but she was able to beat the cancer. Also, her daughter, who was living there at the time developed cancer about 10 years ago and also is a cancer survivor.

Janet