13Investigates is following up on the East Greenbush man who developed cancer from drinking contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

NewsChannel 13’s Tessa Bentulan first brought you the story of Fred Valentine in August 2022. Valentine died on Sept. 18 at the age of 73.

Valentine served in the Marines during Vietnam. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for 18 months in 1972 to 1973.

Toward the end of his life, he lived in East Greenbush with his wife of 12 years Michelle.

He developed a variety of cancers include bladder cancer, prostate cancer and bone cancer.

Six days before he died, the military confirmed that his illnesses were directly caused by his time at Camp Lejeune.

Federal health officials believe up to one million military staff and their families may have been exposed to contaminated drinking water at the camp from the 1950s through the 1980s.

Under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, Valentine and more than 500,000 others across the country have filed a claim for compensation. Families could receive between $100,000 and $550,000 based on their service.

He is one of hundreds of thousands of veterans who died from their-service related illnesses.

His wife, Michelle, said that Fred was diagnosed in 2022. The cancer spread and Fred didn’t want to prolong matters.

“He said ‘I’m just tired of people touching me. I’m tired of being poked. I’m tired of being tested,’” Michelle said. “I said ‘then make the choice.’ He goes ‘I just want to go home.’”

Watch more of Tessa Bentulan’s conversation with her by clicking on the video.