In the crush of chaos after two planes hit the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Michael O’Connell raced from his home on Long Island in New York to his firehouse in Queens, where he was training as a probationary fireman for the FDNY.
From there the then 25-year-old joined a busload of firefighters to the burning buildings. During the trip, their chief announced that the World Trade Center’s twin towers had collapsed.
Despite what has since been confirmed as a widespread, deadly health hazard from work there amid the dust and fumes — and despite his own health struggles, years later — everyone O’Connell knows would go back and do the same work without a second thought, he says.
Currently, he serves as Team Lead of Feal Good foundation in the fight of the Zadroga bill passing for 90 years.
Info: https://fealgoodfoundation.com/
Source: People - https://people.com/politics/911-responder-michael-o-connell-contracts-rare-disease/