Dear Michael Hausfeld,

We want to join the class action lawsuit against the cigarette companies. Here is our story. I have three sisters and a brother that want to join also.

I thought maybe you could help Me. I don’t know what to do.
Cigarettes have ruined Our lives. My Parents died seven years ago, eight days apart, from cigarette smoking. Dad was 67 and Mom was 56. Dad died March 27th and Mom died on Easter, April 4th. So, of course, Easter will never mean the same to Us again. A day before My Mom died, Our Cousin’s Husband died, of course from smoking. Then within a six months period, My Grandmother, two Great Aunts and my Uncle’s Wife, all died, of course from cigarette smoking. Not only have They suffered from Their illnesses, We, the living have suffered greatly also. No matter what They did, They couldn’t quit. They even went to the light or low tar cigarettes, thinking that They could quit or that it wouldn’t be so harmful to Them. Struggling with trying to quit and struggling with Their illnesses, is unbelievable pain. Seeing Them suffer, is unbelievable pain. Struggling with the loss of Them is unbelievable pain. The cigarette companies really don’t have a clue on how many People suffer because of them getting just one Person hooked on smoking. Not only does the smoker suffer, but all of the family, friends and coworkers suffer for years and years. Mom and Dad have tried and tried to quit for years. Mom and Dad were struggling working class people, Who loved Family and Friends. Not only will We never see Them ever again, hear Their voices ever again, have Family get togethers with Them ever again, go on Family vacations with Them ever again, but Their Grandchildren will never get to enjoy Their Grandparents……. That is PAIN!
Now, My Husband is dying. He is 51 years old. He has been sick for the last 7 years, of course from smoking. He has COPD and other lung diseases from smoking. He has been in the emergency room many times by way of ambulance and in and out of the hospital multiple times, almost dying every time. He is on various medications but They will only help for so long. He is going to be evaluated for a lung transplant soon. We have been at or below the poverty level financially for a long time now because He can’t work. We are all stressed to the limit now. He has tried and tried to quit smoking. He went to the light cigarettes thinking it would be less harmful. He has tried the nicotine patch, nicotrol inhaler, cold turkey, cutting down, nicotine gum and He even was hypnotized. Some People can quit while Others are addicted for life and the cigarette companies know this. The cigarette companies love it that way so the addicted People will still have to buy Their products until the day They die. The cigarette companies really don’t care as long as they make that almighty dollar as a profit. My Husband was just in the hospital on June 23rd. The Doctors said His lungs are only working to the capacity of 15% and doesn’t have long to live. He recently was in the hospital on October 1st with a seizure, due to lack of oxygen in his system from smoking damage to his lungs. We have two Children who suffered with Us while all of Our Relatives died. They now are 18 and 20 years old and are having a very hard time dealing with all of this just like the rest of Us. With all the deaths in Our Family from smoking, I thank God each day that My Children have never tried smoking. One time, I even brought some of My Children’s Friends to see My Husband lying in a hospital bed in the ICU with a breathing tube stuck down His throat for days just to try to get Them not to start or to quit smoking. Now some of My Children’s Friends haven’t tried smoking and some don’t smoke anymore,(even though they just started smoking, it made Them not want to smoke) knowing that They could possibly end up there too, someday. We talk to a lot of People to try to get Them to quit smoking, with all the suffering that Our Loved Ones had suffered and the suffering We all are suffering now, We can get Some of Them to quit smoking. We all are sick of the pain that the cigarette companies have caused Us and We all want them to pay for what they have done. Is there any way You could help Us with that? I don’t know what else to do. This letter doesn’t even begin to describe all of the turmoil, suffering, sleepless nights and loss of lives due to the cigarette companies.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Lori Fetty
302 West Park Street
Westby, WI 54667
lories00@yahoo.com
608-634-2205 home