Rachael Collins has been struggling for over a year ever since getting exposed to wind blown mining waste (slag) particulate from renting an office near the slag pile in Cottonwood, AZ in March 2022.  She was working as a business consultant and counselor to help our community post-Covid.  Rachael was severely injured in a car accident many years ago and was excited to resume a normal life in the occupation she had been very successful at for decades (www.transformurbusiness.com). But within 2 months of taking the lease, the interior of her office and everything in it become covered in a black powder before her eyes. She decided not to risk exposing anyone else to the unknown substance, thereby abandoning the business or occupying the office. However, she had 2 storage units on the same property and in the process of attempting to move all of her slag covered items out of them, despite wearing gloves and a mask, she was unable to avoid breathing in the fine toxic metal particulate and immediately became very ill. Over months, her landlords, Cottonwood city officials and the Minerals Research operations executive who refines the slag pile, told her it was "just dust".  She knew that had to be a untrue and began a private investigation to learn the truth. You can view the pictures of this hazardous contamination in her office and in nearby homes and public spaces at  www.cottonwoodcontamination.com. In the meantime, Rachael's health deteriorated seriously as the toxic particulate circulated through her body.  After not being helped by other providers she ended up being referred to my practice. I have been helping her with her medical needs pro-bono because she been tirelessly fighting for the health of the Cottonwood Community for well over a year with no financial support for her own living expenses.  

For over a year, Rachael has spent 7 days a week tirelessly researching, interviewing and pursuing the truth of what Cottonwood is been exposed to.  Due to liability issues and the collusion of many parties allowing the pollution, she spent 2500 hours of unpaid work quietly developing the evidence that could ultimately provide the proof required to identify the source of the contamination and the extensive cover up by public officials and private entities who are profiting significantly from the slag refining operation. Her dedicated mission has been to save the residents of Cottonwood from continued contamination, to determine if they have been injured or damaged by it and if so, to be able to pursue resources for remediation.  Rachael had the knowledge and skills from her previous work experience to know that identifying business and government corruption takes courage, intelligence and patience.  Unfortunately, due to the breach of a confidentiality agreement, others recently interfered in the investigation and prematurely made it public. Due to that situation, she is moving forward now to reveal the toxicity of the contamination blanketing Cottonwood and her evidence identifying the source and perpetrators of the contamination. 

Rachael got results. She complained to and communicated with ADEQ (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality) officials for almost a year.  She recently met with them and provided irrefutable evidence that Minerals Research Inc. (MRI) was operating without required environmental permits. The day after that meeting, MRI immediately began to excavate the pile to a lower level to prevent public scrutiny of the slag dust blowing off the huge uncovered piles of fine metallic particulate that blows throughout the community and is so fine it penetrates duct work and window and door seals. Residents can witness the progress right now from 705 Aspen St. near 7th street by the VFW building in Cottonwood.

In order to accomplish this monumental investigation, Rachael sacrificed everything in her life.  She started and ended every 10 hour plus day pursuing this case for the community while she herself was even more disabled than previously due to the exacerbation of her accident injuries and on top of that being permanently contaminated.  She was severely overwhelmed, exhausted and stressed much of the past year and could not share this with anyone but her doctor and God.  There were many roadblocks to overcome and no rewards involved - no money, no recognition - just a few trusted residents helping her as they could since they were all also poor.  But they also recognized the importance of our right to health, life and justice and persisted tirelessly for our benefit.  Rachael never gave up!   She credits her ability to take on and stick with this investigation 100% to God.  She says her focus and energy came from PRAYING her way through every day.  She was divinely led on this long journey because right is clearly different from wrong and life and health are sacred!

Despite the small victory of the results from her investigation so far, Rachael incurred many thousands of dollars in personal debt in order to pursue this investigation. She paid these expenses out of her own pocket by taking out loans. This past May, Rachael created a fundraising event to pay an environmental consultant.  But due to confidentiality of the investigation, could not promote it well enough to procure sufficient donations.  She has run out of all resources and the ability to get more loans.  Rachael currently does not have sufficient money for her living expenses, uncovered health resources and desperately needs to replace her 2005 car with 260,000 miles that needs constant repairs.  She also needs to pay back her loans.  I would also like her to have enough to restore her lost income and be able to afford a trauma recovery program so she can live to tell about what she has done for us.

Believers in Jesus have a directive: "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother [or sister] in need, and shuts up his heart from him [or her], how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth." - 1 John 3:17-18

Also, please pray for Rachael, for deep physical and inner-healing from all the trauma she has been through laying her life down for the community of Cottonwood, AZ.