Employee Discovers Unexpected Family Connection at ORNL Cleanup Project

Starnes, who has worked in Building 3019 for more than 50 years, recognized Andy Johnson's name because the two worked together for nearly 10 years.

"He was really good to have on your shift with you," said Starnes. "You didn't have to worry about Andy keeping up with you."

Now, Starnes finds that same dependability two generations later in Jason Johnson. The Johnson family has had two generations serving one mission, decades apart.

The grandfather and grandson were close.

"He loved my children to the fullest," Jason Johnson said. "He didn't miss many ballgames when I was little."

When Andy Johnson wasn't placing U-233 canisters into storage, he was a deacon at his church, which he helped build.

Andy Johnson died in 2015, but Jason Johnson carries his grandfather's legacy forward through his own work as Isotek helps complete critical cleanup efforts and ensures material extracted from U-233 can be used for cancer treatments.

-Contributor: John Gray