Bells are rung and names of those lost in the attacks on September 11, 2001, are read out, as mourners and elected officials, all in masks, gather at a memorial in New York City. NeverForget
damage from working at Ground Zero and endured the emotional pain of seeing his fellow responders die from ailments contracted at the pile.
so far as their compromised immune systems, particularly their ailing respiratory symptoms, make them more susceptible to the virus, according to health officials. As of Aug. 21, at least 191 have been hospitalized and 44 have died, according to data from the World Trade Center Health Program. Since the spring, they have been using their voices and their experiences to convince more people to heed health warnings. The 9/11 community is also working to honor the 19th anniversary of the attacks amid the pandemic.Michael Barasch, an attorney who has worked with Feal and the 9/11 responder community for better health care, told ABC that responders really began to pay attention to the coronavirus in late February when cases in the U.S. began to rise.
"It was bad enough that the federal government lied to the community when they said the air was safe," he said during the Aug. 26 interview."Fast forward 19 years and our federal government tells people, 'It's not bad. You don't need to wear the mask,' and we have over 175,000 people dead."The cleanup work goes on at Ground Zero, the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
Feal recalls having aching skin, and he said there are moments during his battle against the virus that he doesn't remember. Feal said his regular functions did not come back overnight and every part of the recovery was a fight.Caring for the sick while vulnerable "She probably went through it for a month but the most severe symptoms were for two weeks," he said."Her most difficult time was at night when she couldn't sleep."John Feal, a 9-11 responder, donates plasma after successfully fighting COVID-19.Although his mother recovered from the virus, O'Connell said it was heart-wrenching for him not to be at her side during the quarantine period due to his condition.
Feal himself donated plasma eight times and his organization has provided relief supplies to essential workers in New York. The most important mission for him was to call on the public to unite and take the precautions seriously. Barasch said that he is confident that Feal and other responders have been making a difference in changing attitudes on the pandemic. He noted that the responders have always been upfront about the health dangers that came at the hands of their altruism.
"The heart of the intentions was the health and safety of everyone and giving a lot of thought to the members of the 9/11 community who is at risk," Olivia Egger, a spokeswoman for the memorial told ABC News."None of these decisions were made lightly and [they] were made in consideration of the community.
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