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25 Years After 9/11: First Responders and Survivors Reflect on Lingering Health Battles
When Michael O’Connell was sworn in as a probationary firefighter with the New York City Fire Department just months before September 11, 2001, he was eager to join a team defined by camaraderie and unity. Having started his career as a police officer, he felt firefighting was “more my speed.”
On that tragic morning, O’Connell was deployed to lower Manhattan following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. For weeks, he didn’t return home, shuttling between his firehouse and Ground Zero to extinguish fires and conduct search-and-rescue efforts amid the rubble.
In the years following, O’Connell, like many first responders, began experiencing serious health issues linked to his exposure at the site. In 2007, he was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a severe inflammatory disease affecting his lungs, skin, and lymph nodes-likely caused by inhaling the toxic dust and debris at Ground Zero.
O’Connell’s story is one shared by thousands. The World Trade Center Health Program estimates around 400,000 people were exposed to hazardous conditions after 9/11. These exposures have been linked to at least 69 types of cancer and numerous chronic conditions, including respiratory and digestive disorders, musculoskeletal problems, and mental health challenges.
Tragically, more than 9,400 individuals have died from 9/11-related illnesses-more than three times the number who perished in the attacks themselves. The victims include not only firefighters and police officers who responded immediately but also civilians who lived, worked, or passed through the affected areas.
Thomas Wilson, an NYPD sergeant, was investigating a burglary in Brooklyn when he first heard of the attack. He quickly shifted focus, shutting down the Williamsburg Bridge to manage the flow of thousands fleeing Manhattan on foot.
Wilson spent over 350 hours assisting recovery efforts, later working as a sifter at Fresh Kills Landfill, where Ground Zero debris was sorted. Despite being issued protective gear, the long hours and insufficient respiratory protection exposed him to dangerous toxins.
Like O’Connell, Wilson was later diagnosed with aggressive neck cancer that spread to his tongue and muscles. He continues to deal with ongoing health complications, including asthma and fibrosis, and has sought mental health support to cope with the trauma.
Former FDNY EMT Ivonne Sanchez also endured severe exposure at Ground Zero. She spent nearly 20 continuous hours at the site and months afterward working on body recovery and identification. Without adequate respiratory protection in the early months, she developed chronic sinusitis, asthma, and breast cancer, which spread to her lymph nodes.
The dangers of the toxic environment were compounded by early official assurances that the air was safe. Newly released city documents reveal that authorities knew otherwise but publicly downplayed the risks. The Environmental Protection Agency’s initial claims that air quality posed no danger have since been called into question, with ongoing medical research continuing to uncover the long-term health effects of exposure to the hazardous “toxic cocktail” present at Ground Zero.
Civilians were not spared. Barbara Mohan, who worked just blocks from the World Trade Center, was diagnosed years later with large B-cell lymphoma, a cancer likely linked to her exposure to the disaster’s aftermath.
Advocacy and legal efforts have been critical in securing health benefits and compensation for affected individuals. John Feal, a demolition supervisor injured at the site, founded the FealGood Foundation after being denied initial compensation.
His advocacy, alongside others, helped pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2010, providing essential medical monitoring and aid. The act was reauthorized in 2019, extending benefits through 2090.
As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, first responders like O’Connell, Wilson, and Sanchez continue to share their stories, emphasizing the ongoing impact of that day. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum plans to honor victims of 9/11-related illnesses with a seventh moment of silence at this year’s commemoration.
Reflecting on their experiences, all express unwavering commitment to the response efforts despite the personal costs.
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” O’Connell said. “Nothing, not a thing.”
Their sacrifices-and the enduring health battles they face-remain a poignant reminder that the tragedy of 9/11 did not end on that day.