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Day is Henrietta’s husband and cousin, who has suffered greatly in the entire ordeal of losing his wife and discovering that her cells had been taken. Several people surrounding Henrietta make comments that suggest Day may have not always been the best husband or father. Henrietta’s sister Gladys never approved of the marriage. Zakariyya clearly blames Day for bringing the abusive Ethel into their lives. Nevertheless, it’s clear Day is very hurt and haunted by what happened to Henrietta. He refuses to see a doctor about his gangrene despite the pain because he’s too afraid they will take cell samples from him without permission. That he would put himself through so much pain as to live with gangrene emphasizes the sheer magnitude of his fear. Furthermore, he does care for his children in his own way. He initially does not want the hospital to autopsy her body so that they can bury her whole but relents only after the doctors suggest the autopsy could help his children. Despite Day’s complexity of character, he is very much a victim of how medical institutions took advantage of the Lacks family.
