Yet another New York City first responder has died from 9/11 related cancer, caused by exposure to dangerous chemicals at Ground Zero.

A New York City police officer, Mark J. Natale, and his partner Michael Henry helped victims of the horrific September 11, 2001 attacks escape Manhattan to Brooklyn and New Jersey. In the following days, he and Henry stood guard around Ground Zero. Dust and toxins were everywhere, but all they were given for protection were simple masks worn to protect house painters.

Years after the attacks, many first responders and victims have been diagnosed with 9/11 related cancer due to exposure to Ground Zero toxins. Unfortunately, Natale is one of them. He was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2015, and then brain cancer in 2017, and died aged 55 in hospice care earlier this month. Natale’s 9/11 related cancer, glioblastoma, is a rare brain cancer responsible for many deaths in 9/11 responders and others.

Newsday reports that more than 2,000 first responders like Natale have now died from certified 9/11 related cancer, according to John Feal, who lobbies on behalf of 9/11 first responders.

“The average age of the first responder was 39,” Feal told Newsday. “Now add all these debilitating illnesses and these men and women are getting weaker and sicker as they age.”

“On 9/11 they were in great shape, and now while their mindset might be that of a warrior their body has failed them. They’ve become fragile and weak and these toxins are taking their toll.”

Henry, Natale’s partner, is now more concerned about the possibility that he himself might be diagnosed with 9/11 related cancer. “We didn’t think we’d get ill, but now I’m going to go get tested,” he said. “Mark was as healthy as me, I thought.”

Basics of 9/11 Related Cancer

The air of Ground Zero was filled with harmful materials and toxins capable of causing cancer, and those who worked or lived in the area may have been exposed to and injured by these substances. If you were diagnosed with 9/11 related cancer, you may qualify for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

First responders, construction workers, city workers, and nearby students and residents may have been exposed to these dangerous toxins; those who were are eligible to receive compensation. It’s estimated that more than one million people were exposed to the harmful toxins in the air in the months following these attacks.

Patients diagnosed with one of more than 70 different 9/11 related cancer in the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attacks may be eligible for compensation from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. These cancers include lung cancer, prostate cancer, Melanoma, Leukemia, Brain cancer, Sarcoma, and many others. A full list of these cancer types is available on our investigation page.

If you or someone you love was diagnosed with 9/11 related cancer in the years following exposure to Ground Zero, you may be eligible for compensation from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.