Exclusive | How a California dad is surviving the incurable disease caused by common kitchen item that’s killed dozens

A San Fernando Valley stone worker, Enrique Gonzalez, who has been unable to work for the past two years after developing an incurable disease has received a double lung transplant that his family says has put him on a miraculous path to recovery.

The disease, silicosis, has increasingly been linked to workers who cut and fabricate engineered quartz countertops, which contain significantly more silica than natural materials such as granite or marble.

The number of Californians stricken with silicosis, which scars lungs and severely hamper breathing, has surged in recent years, jumping from 31 cases in 2019 to a staggering 631 as of this week, a study found.

Gonzalez, 56, spent years working in granite and stone manufacturing before developing the potentially fatal lung disease.

Gonzalez’s family said the disease had made it impossible for him to continue working as his condition worsened, leaving the family struggling to cover medical expenses and everyday costs.

His daughter, Edith Gonzalez, 30, exclusively told the California Post that her father’s health had deteriorated dramatically shortly before the transplant he received this summer.

“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. “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.”

Thirty-one people have died from the debilitating illness in roughly the past eight years, while 65 have required lung transplants, said the researchers, who analyzed figures between 2019 and this year.

There have been 151 cases so far this year — including 40 in the roughly past month alone.

The number of cases is likely much higher because many workers go undiagnosed or receive a late diagnosis, the report warned.

Nearly all of the victims have been men, with about half of them in Los Angeles County, the report said. Their median age is 52.

Fortunately, Gonzalez said, her father was already on the transplant list by the time his condition became critical. The family had initially been warned that finding donor lungs could take years.

“So thankfully, when his condition got really bad, he had that lung transplant,” she said.

Before the procedure, even walking short distances had become extremely difficult. Gonzalez said her father used a cane and often needed a wheelchair to get from the car to medical appointments or the emergency room. Even while using supplemental oxygen, he would frequently become short of breath.

Now, his life looks dramatically different.

“Right after he got his lung transplant, obviously yes he had some help with walking and support, but now he doesn’t need a cane. He doesn’t need a wheelchair,” Gonzalez said. “He’s able to do his morning and evening walks. He’s like a new person.”

The transplant marks a major turnaround for Gonzalez, but his recovery is far from over. His daughter said he remains under significant restrictions and spends much of his time at home attending medical appointments, undergoing physical therapy and following up with doctors.

“He can’t really be outside. He can’t go to a lot of places,” she said. “So right now it’s all been about his recovery of just staying home and going to the doctors.”

The family also recently shared an update on GoFundMe saying Gonzalez received the double lung transplant. In the post, they said he underwent a bronchoscopy at UCLA Health and is expected to give a deposition next month as part of a lawsuit against companies the family says bear responsibility for his illness.

California’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has attributed the health crisis to rising demand for the stone.

The legal action comes amid growing concern over silicosis among California stone workers. Workers can inhale dangerous levels of crystalline silica while cutting, grinding and polishing engineered stone. 

California, according to a report from George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, has seen hundreds of cases in recent years, with many workers requiring lung transplants and dozens dying from the disease.

Gonzalez had previously considered taking legal action but was too sick to participate fully in the process, his daughter said. His breathing problems made it difficult for him to hold conversations for more than a short period of time.

“He couldn’t describe in detail things, he couldn’t go on talking to you for several minutes,” Gonzalez said. “It was just like, hello, like okay, he’s out of breath. Sorry, he can’t anymore.”

His improved health has now made it possible for him to move forward with the case. His deposition has been delayed until next month in part because of the extensive medical care he needed immediately following the transplant.

“Now he’s able to have longer conversations, and he has oxygen, so it’s not like he has to catch his breath all the time and take pauses,” Gonzalez said.

His daughter said the family wants the companies involved to be held accountable.

“If they’re making this type of material that’s so dangerous for people to inhale, I feel like there should be more research done before they bring out a product that can be so life-threatening,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez’s illness has also taken a financial toll on his family. His daughter described him as a quiet, family-oriented man who spent much of his life working and was the household’s primary breadwinner.

“He’s always just been at home, gone to work, and back home,” she said. 

With Gonzalez unable to work for the past two years, the family has relied in part on donations through GoFundMe to help cover expenses.

“It has helped a lot because obviously he was not able to work and it did take a toll on us because he has always been the family provider,” Gonzalez said. “I feel very grateful that he had a second chance at life.”

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