Jennifer Samson
Moapa, Nevada

My parents passed a long time ago. All my brothers and sisters are gone except for my half-sister--she's up in Reno. I'm the only one left. I'm the last one on the kaboodle.

Russell and Calvin, the boys, they're brothers and they live together. They went through so much in their life, living down there right next to the plant. When they started staying down there, you could smell it. Anywhere you go, you could smell it. I always told them, "If you want to get away anytime, come up to my house."

Calvin is my first cousin, but I look at him as my brother. And Russell, he's also my first cousin, but I look at him as a dad and a brother and an uncle and my best friend that ever came into my life.

We have nicknames for each other. We know these ladies, they can’t say "Russell" and they always call him "Wushell." So I always call him "Wushell." And they can't say "Jennifer" either. They call me Juniper. So when he calls me, he always says, "You're my Juniper." That's just between me and him.

Now that they're both in the hospital, I go down and check their messages and feed their dog and just do what I have to do. But I just can't stay there very long now. I know where they're at now, and I'm used to having them with me. I've got the memories. (Interviewed July 20, 2012. Russell Samson died of cancer in early August.)