Nearly a quarter-century after the Sept. 11 attacks, the toll from toxic exposure at Ground Zero continues to rise, according to federal health data and accounts from survivors monitored by the World Trade Center Health Program.
More than 400,000 people were exposed to toxic contaminants, physical hazards and severe stress in Lower Manhattan in the days, weeks and months following the attacks, the World Trade Center Health Program says. As of March 2025, 8,215 people enrolled in the program had died, including 5,844 responders, according to the CDC. Those figures cover deaths from all causes; the program does not track whether a given death was actually caused by 9/11 exposure.
The program, administered by the CDC and authorized through 2090, had more than 130,000 currently enrolled members as of March 31, 2025. It operates through health systems including NYU Langone Health, Mount Sinai, Northwell, Stony Brook and Rutgers.
A volunteer EMT’s long road
Mordechai Shedrowitzky, 51, was a volunteer EMT living in Brooklyn on Sept. 11, 2001. After spending much of the day helping cover his local area, he went into Lower Manhattan that evening to join the response effort.
“My most vivid memory was actually entering Manhattan from Brooklyn,” he told Fox News Digital. “As we approached the tunnel, the first thing we noticed was there were no lights, there was no electricity in the area, it [was] pitch black.” He said the tunnel was filled with “a tremendous amount of swirling debris, at speeds that I just can’t even imagine.”
At South Street Seaport, where his ambulance was staged, he recalled the debris as “overwhelming,” and remembered his engine sputtering, likely from ingesting dust. “We were definitely not cognizant of what effect … the air might have on us,” he said, noting that responders spent significant time outside their ambulances.
Shedrowitzky said he thought his exposure was behind him once he left the scene, but years later noticed his pre-existing asthma steadily worsening. “I started to require oral steroids,” he said. “I would have wheezing; I would have coughing. It would last longer; it would be more serious … I wouldn’t be able to go to work, wouldn’t be able to take care of my kids.”
His condition led to frequent respiratory infections and hospitalizations. “It took a number of years, many years, for us to realize that what was going on with my health was probably related to 9/11,” he said. In 2019, his condition worsened significantly with a cough that resisted even the highest doses of steroids and antibiotics.
He was eventually connected with the World Trade Center Health Program, which classified his condition as 9/11-related. He was diagnosed with tracheobronchomalacia, a weakening and collapse of the windpipe and major airways, which he said was likely tied to both his worsening asthma and years of steroid use.
In 2024, Shedrowitzky underwent a tracheobronchoplasty to reinforce his trachea and main bronchi. Two years later, he says he feels “much better,” though occasional infections persist, and he hopes to return to work as a physical therapist. “Even a couple of months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to speak for more than a very short time,” he said.
A father of six and grandfather of two, Shedrowitzky said his illness made it hard to be present for his children as they grew up. “Things as simple as lifting my children, even speaking to them,” he said. “The amount of time that I spent in the hospital and its effect on them was quite significant. Now, they’re older, but my ability to spend time, interact with them … has been greatly improved.”
Why the dust still causes harm
Dr. Denise Harrison, medical director of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine WTC Health Program Clinical Center of Excellence, has worked in post-9/11 health care since 2002. She said the dust released that day was “highly alkaline,” making it especially irritating to the airways.
“Usually, the larger size dust gets deposited in the upper airways and the smaller size dust gets deposited in the lower airways,” Harrison said. “Because of the overwhelming nature of the disaster, a significant number of large particles got deposited into the lower airways as well. So, this is not just the airways, but also the digestive tract, in the esophagus.”
Harrison said patients commonly report sinus problems, asthma and COPD, often alongside other “aerodigestive” issues such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, complicating diagnosis and treatment. Mental health conditions can compound the picture as well. “We have patients with asthma and PTSD who might perceive their asthma symptoms differently than the patients without PTSD, so that requires a combination of providers,” she said.
Shedrowitzky urged fellow first responders experiencing health problems not to wait for care and to check whether their symptoms could be linked to 9/11. “Continue to be monitored so that potential issues can be picked up early,” he said. “If we can look back and see the quality of life that it’s robbing you of, it might push you to contact the World Trade Center Health Program, get the help that you need.”
Harrison said the health effects of 9/11 exposure remain “persistent” and can worsen with age and other illnesses, with experts expecting the fallout to continue for decades. “Symptoms are still ongoing and research is still ongoing,” she said, urging patience from both the public and responders. “While it might not directly benefit them or may provide some benefits now, it could be more beneficial in the future and help the overall response to disasters.”
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