The 25th anniversary of 9/11 highlights the ongoing health crisis, with thousands of civilians and first responders still suffering from toxic exposure and many unaware of available federal programs.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: More than 9,500 people have now died from illnesses linked to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, more than three times the 2,977 people killed on the day itself, according to prominent 9/11 attorney Michael Barasch. Barasch, whose firm represents more than 40,000 victims and their families, said he personally loses roughly two clients each day to 9/11-related illnesses, underscoring that the attacks continue to claim lives a quarter-century later. 📺 DETAIL: As the nation marks the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Barasch warned that thousands of civilians exposed to toxic air in Lower Manhattan remain unaware they may qualify for federal health care and compensation, with only about 15 percent of eligible civilians enrolled. He said roughly 300,000 office workers, 50,000 students and teachers, and 25,000 residents were exposed to toxins after the attacks, while qualifying members can receive coverage for illnesses, including 69 cancers presumed to be connected to their exposure. Barasch also warned that a generation is growing up without firsthand memories of 9/11, noting that roughly 100 million Americans have been born since the attacks and that six recent scholarship recipients told him their schools had not taught them about the tragedy. The anniversary has also fueled tensions surrounding New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, with Barasch saying some 9/11 families are angry that he has not unequivocally condemned the terrorists responsible for the attacks. 🎯 IMPACT: The consequences of 9/11 extend far beyond the 2,977 lives lost on the day of the attacks, with thousands more dying from related illnesses and many civilians still unaware they may qualify for assistance. Barasch’s statements underscore the challenge of preserving the memory of 9/11 as a younger generation grows up, while renewed political disputes over the commemoration show how the attacks remain a deeply sensitive issue 25 years later. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “Over 9,500 people have now died of 9/11 illnesses. That’s three times as many who died on 9/11,” said Michael Barasch. 📺 FLASHBACK: The 9/11 attacks resulted in nearly 3,000 immediate deaths when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes, crashing two into New York’s Twin Towers, one into the Pentagon, and one into a Pennsylvania field after passengers stopped the hijackers from reaching their intended target. |
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