Toxic tale
Chemical sensitivity drove Alan Bell out of Broward County. He’s back, with a book.
Alan Bell is returning to the “ground zero” of his life and career— and of the condition he says almost killed him.
The writer, activist and former Broward County prosecutor said he had to leave Florida after being diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity, a condition in which the person has severe sensitivity to different kinds of pollutants.
Bell, 62, is back to speak about his journey during two July signings for his book, “Poisoned: Howa Crime-Busting Prosecutor Turned His Medical Mystery into a Crusade for Environmental Victims” (Skyhorse Publishing; $25.99). He will be at Barnes& Noble in Fort Lauderdale today and at Books and Books in Coral Gables on July 11.
The Barnes& Noble appearance is a “Meet the Authors” event that also will feature Ronald L. Feinman (“Assassinations, Threats, and the American Presidency: From Andrew Jackson to Barack Obama”), Kingsley Guy (“Queen of the Heavens”) and Bobby F. Kimbrough Jr. (“Beyond Midnight: Finding Strength in the Struggle”).
Bell’s book relates his growing up in South Florida, battling his condition and advocating for others. After earning a law degree from the University of Miami, he started his career at the State Attorney’s Office and enjoyed success. Hewas married, became father to a baby girl and had an active life. But everything changed when he got sick.
Suddenly, Bell could not get out of bed. Hewas dizzy andweak. He eventually could not walk because of seizures. Doctors were stunned and didn’t knowthe cause. They combed through his life, he said, looking for answers, and asked him if he could think of anyone who might have had a reason to poison him.
Though some in the medical community agree that multiple chemical sensitivity is a negative physical reaction to chemicals, there is debate as to whether it should be diagnosed as an illness, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Bell said doctors urged him to leave Florida, so he moved to a toxin-free “bubble” in the Arizona desert to try to stay healthy and look for better ways to live. He eventually relocated to Capistrano Beach, Calif.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you today?
A: I’m very regimented and guarded in what I can do and how I can do it. I live a very clean, safe lifestyle, which means that I can’t do a lot of things that other people are used to. I can in limited capacities, but I always go back to the safe environment and healthy lifestyle.
Q: What do you hope your legacy is?
A: I learned howto take control ofmy life in becoming a survivor, and then I jumped back into the arena as a health advocate. ...
In this country, there’s a general rule that any chemicals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. What that means is that you could bring in chemicals fromall parts of theworld ... and you could sell it to people until it’s been proven that it’s harmful for human health. As a result of that, chemicals have been introduced into our environment ... and few have been tested for the toxic effect on humans.
Alan Bell will be signing his book from2-4 p.m. today at Barnes& Noble, 2051N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, and 7-9 p.m. July 11 at Books& Books, 265 AragonAve., Coral Gables.