A California-based man has found himself disabled and unable to hold employment due to a condition that he developed on the job.
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Man Battling Incurable Disease He Contracted at Work
The man, A San Fernando Valley stone worker, Enrique Gonzalez, has been unemployed for two years. He developed an incurable disease called silicosis.
Silicosis is a chronic lung disease caused by breathing in tiny bits of crystalline silica dust. Silica is a common mineral found in rocks, sand, quartz, and soil. When people breathe in this dust, it causes swelling and permanent scarring in the lungs. This makes it difficult for them to breathe (American Lung Association).
The condition is most common in skilled workers who work with engineered quartz countertops. Products that contain significantly more silica than natural materials such as granite or marble.
Gonzalez on Road to Recovery After Silicosis Contraction
According to Gonzalez's family, he has undergone surgery to complete a double lung transplant as part of his recovery.
Gonzalez's daughter, Edith, told the California Post that her father has recovered "really well" from the surgery.
"He has recovered really well from the lung transplant. His body took it really well. He is showing signs of improvement, like right away," Gonzalez said (via The New York Post).
Edith also told the outlet that her father's recovery is especially miraculous. Especially considering the condition that Enrique was in before undergoing the procedure.
"Before he got his lung transplant, he got really, really bad. Like his condition was very bad, where he got intubated because he couldn't breathe, even just a little bit," she added.
However, even though he is on the road to recovery, Gonzalez and his family understand that it will be a slow grind. Edith says that after the surgery, Enrique still needed help with walking. But has progressed to the point that he no longer needs a cane or a wheelchair.
"He's able to do his morning and evening walks. He's like a new person," she said.
The cases involving silicosis are rising rapidly. There have been 151 cases of people contracting the disease in 2026 alone. Thankfully for Enrique, it appears that he is on the right track to a full recovery.
