11 Sept 2011

A THOUGHT TO THOSE WHO SURVIVED

Today is September 11, 10 years later. It's impossible to ignore this day. Also outside America, all medias are talking about and remember this day with videos, witnesses etc.

Comemoration services are held for those who died. On brasses the names of the victimes are engraved. Firemen who saved lives and died are declared as heros. Dead people are honored and Ground Zero has become a tourist attraction.

But what about the once who survived ?? Up to 80,000 people - including firemen, police officers, emergency workers, contractors and cleaning staff - are believed to have been present in the aftermath.

Soon after the attacks people reported what became known as "World Trade Center cough" but symptoms have since become more serious. Nobody talks about them or only a little. Alle these firemen who now have burnt lungs, suffer asthma, got cancer not to talk about the psychological damages ! They are unable to work anymore or had to change their work completely. Some of them died but later so they don't belong to the September 11 victims. I think they are also heros. They also saved lives and what did they get as a thank you ? The September 11th Fund was closed in December 2004. These victims had to go to court to claim for at least their health costs. I have seen a reportage on Belgian TV and was rather shocked.

They had the chance to survive, but under what conditions ?

I think those people should also be included in all our thoughts today.

6 comments:

  1. Really bothered by the resistance - still! - to giving money to the people who cleaned up and now have cancer, because the causality is not 100% proven.

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  2. Totally right!
    God bless you!
    Cezar

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  3. I totally agree, Gattina! I know from personal experience that it is harder to be a survivor. I saw a segment on TV with a firefighter who had survived and now is tortured by not just illness, but by emotional pain.
    I think of the husbands, wives, and children who lost their family that day.
    It is so sad and my heart aches.

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  4. oh yes we hear plenty about the people who are suffering today because of 9/11
    Its tragic.
    all this for nothing.Goes to show that everything is not ok and Islam is not peace or love.

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  5. Yes you are right. In the tragdey that took 3000 lives we tend to forget that so many survivors are still battling the aftermath of all that happened.

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