I'm a survivor from the World Trade Center in New York City, on 9-11, tower one. I also worked for the first 48 hours, still hurt from the attacks, as a rescue worker with the NYPD through the city Medical Examiner's office. My father was with the medical examiner office on Staten Island, NY, and was brought in by the chief of police and the chief of emergency services for the city. My father got me cleared through the NYPD to help with the search and rescue, as my father was brought in to help identify bodies. He was able to make my presence official, but there was way I was leaving the site regardless. My friends were dead! ... But there were no bodies, well not really. Just parts! Parts of arms, legs, rib cages, feet, and just chunks of flesh scattered all over the place. Mixed in with steel, concrete, papers on fire, smoke, and huge amounts of ash and rubble everywhere. We weren't given proper masks for ventilation and were only just given paper painter's masks or even simply a large restaurant napkin to tie over our faces, not knowing what toxins lay within. Everything we touched. Burned and burning jet fuel, asbestos, plastics and other chemicals, now all mixed together into the worst cocktail you would want to imagine. With the cherry on top being human flesh.

On the 3rd day, exhausted from going 48 hours with no sleep, only catching maybe an hour or two, as my entire system was still in complete shock, and I was basically functioning off of sheer adrenaline, rage, and an atomic bomb that just hit me emotionally. Considering now that over 10 of my good friends were either verified dead or missing, along with countless more (sometimes I went to 2 or 3 funerals per day for almost a year straight). As I was searching a large pile of debris, it suddenly shifted, sending a beam of steel flying out like a baseball bat, and due to my slight delay in motor functioning at the time, this large piece of steel sent me flying into a pile of ash and other parts of the collapsed building where I inhaled a large plume of dust and smoke. I then needed oxygen for several hours, even after, and that ended my time working at ground zero.

Now, 20-something years later, I've had a total of 9 back surgeries and a bunch of other medical problems. With 2 cancer scares, I'm high risk for prostate and colon cancer, and I can barely walk or get anything physical done anymore, making it tremendously hard to actually work or get any work done really. I now have to go in for back surgery number 10, Yay! ... and no, I don't win a friggin prize for it. Quite the opposite in fact, another surgery and then 6 months to a year recovery, again... This will now be the 6th separate surgery I need to immediately remove golf ball-sized tumors from the base of my spinal column, at the L4, L5, and S1 vertebrae. The tumors press right on the delicate nerves that come out right there at the spinal column's foraminal canal, sending a lightning storm of pain off throughout my body.

I need money for an absolute ton of bills that I have. Utility, medical, prior commitments I can't follow through on because I can barely move to work anymore. I also have an elderly father right now that if he dies, I wouldn't have the money to bury my own father, If God forbid something happens to him soon. He's 99 by the way, so I hope that I have enough time with that, but I'm also a realistic person. That's why I'm taking a shot with this, I have nowhere else to turn, unfortunately. I'm filled with nothing but anger and frustration and resentment that this happened to me. Where my life completely changed at 18 yrs old, to the point where I've spent the next 25+ years in absolutely excruciating pain, after a total of 9 back surgeries. The last one was a fusion of my spine at the L4, L5, and S1. Now I have to get these tumors cut out, again, and now I don't have insurance because I haven't been able to work. I absolutely hate the idea of asking for help but I just don't know what to do at this point. Can someone please help me out a little? You have no idea how greatly appreciated my family and myself would be. May God bless you all, and bring resolution to your burdens as well,... and God bless America - We Shall Never Forget 9-11, NYC - NYPD & FDNY !!!