On September 11, 2001, Arab Islamist terrorists hijacked airplanes and crashed them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing the buildings to collapse. Although almost 3,000 people died on that terrible day, many first responders, recovery workers, and area residents have been getting very sick and even dying because of all of the toxic substances released into the environment. Sadly, quite a few of those once hailed as heroes are finding that government agencies are now ignoring them. They are the hidden victims of 9/11 and this is their story. click here for the victims stories and photos
2006, Allan Tannenbaum.
Photojournalist Allan Tannenbaum was at ground zero on September 11, 2001 and has since been chronicling the lives of first responders like NYC Paramedic Marvin Bethea, above, who became sick because of debris exposure that day.
Many of these people lack proper health care, many have protested what they believe to be an unequal and inadequate distribution of aid. Many have died.
Above, one of many photos on Tannenbaum's website "9/11 Still Killing." Mr. Bethea, at his home in Queens, with medicines he now must take after getting buried in debris twice on 9/11. Mr. Bethea says:
What people must remember about 9/11 is that the cops, firemen, EMTs, all had very physical jobs. These were healthy people who had these jobs. We had to pass a physical every year. The question now becomes, if all these people were healthy, why are they all sick now? You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. What is the common denominator? 9/11 - Ground Zero.