Various officials of the New York Fire Department (NYFD) and the New York Police Department (NYPD) suffered from lethal diseases after responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
As government officials kept on working at Ground Zero after the 9/11 disaster, many of them died of cancer, due to hazardous working conditions.
9/11 Heroes Facing Post-Disaster Illnesses
During the 9/11 rescue operation, nearly 400 officials of the NYFD and NYPD died. However, almost 200 more officials also died, due to Ground Zero-related diseases since the deadly attacks.
NYFD mourns 200th firefighter death linked to 9/11-related illness https://t.co/wFARbQSw8R
— Magnum (@watchfuldefend) September 7, 2022
Denise Verzi, the wife of a retired firefighter, Michael Verzi, who died of cancer, claimed her husband loved his job of firefighting.
According to Denise, Michael was planning the birthday of his twin daughters when planes crashed into New York’s Twin Towers. Initially, the couple believed the first crash was an accident until the second plane hit the other tower.
While Denise kept on asking her husband not to go to the Twin Towers after the terrorist attacks, he ignored all the calls and responded to his call of duty.
Michael rescued several people on September 11 and kept on working at Ground Zero after the deadly events. In the following years, he saw several colleagues suffering from the aftershocks of 9/11, due to the hazardous working environment at Ground Zero.
Eventually, Michael also suffered from lung cancer last year. He passed away in May this year.
Although Michael did not meet his granddaughters who were born after his death, Denise continued, they will learn in the history books that their grandfather fought courageously to save hundreds of lives in the call of duty.
We will never forget! 9/11/01 #TwinTowers #NYC #NYPD #NYFD #HEROS #NeverForgetHistory pic.twitter.com/tnbVaLRKl2
— PottyMouthSouthernGirl (@gypsyphototaker) September 11, 2022
Government Not Recognizing the Efforts of 9/11 Heroes
Another retired firefighter, John J. McCauley, died in May this year after battling prostate cancer for two years.
McCauley’s family members asserted they knew he would soon die, as he was consistently struggling with poor health. Even doctors acknowledged McCauley got cancer due to his work at Ground Zero, family members asserted.
At the time of the 9/11 attacks, McCauley was present in NYFD headquarters in Brooklyn, from where he rushed to the Twin Towers after hearing the news. According to McCauley’s son, he did not see his father for months as he was working nonstop at Ground Zero.
Cops in the NYPD also faced chronic illnesses, due to their work at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks.
Cathy Hanson, the wife of a deceased police officer, Mike Hanson, suggested the government is not facilitating the families of officials who suffered from illnesses, due to their work at Ground Zero.
While law enforcement officials who died on the day of the 9/11 attack are given pensions and other monetary benefits, people who grappled with post-disaster illnesses are still not recognized by the government, Cathy added.
