Will the World Trade Center Debris I Inhaled on 9/11 Eventually Kill Me?

Reacting to the Death of Felicia Dunn-Jones

On May 24th, 2007 Chief Medical Examiner Charles Hirsch, finally conceded that it was likely that Felicia Dunn-Jones, a City Attorney, died from complications arising from her exposure to World Trade Center Dust. Felicia's Autopsy report listed her cause of death as sarcoidosis, which is an inflammation of tissue that begins in the lungs but can spread to vital organs. The symptoms started with a cough that developed a few months after the attack. She eventually became weak and the cough got worse. On February 10, 2002, she stopped breathing and passed away.

On May 24, I was watching the news on TV when I saw her picture pop up on screen. I almost went into shock. I knew Felicia-Dunn Jones. From 1990 to 1993, I had worked at the New York City Law Department as a proofreader, where she also worked and I used to proofread her legal documents all the time. I remember her as a nice friendly woman, who never passed on the pressures of her job to the word processing and proofreading staff. I had not been aware of her death until now. I was shocked that she had died. A day later, I am not only shocked, but I am also scared because I too, was exposed to that dust.

On 9/11, I was no longer working at the Law Department located one block away from the World Trade at 100 Church Street. I was working in One World Financial Center, which was right across the street from the World Trade Center. That day, I arrived to work late and got off the train right after the second plane had already crashed into the South Tower. The streets were filled with workers and tourists, who were all gaping at the huge burning holes in the two towers. I spotted one of my coworkers and we both wondered whether we should go on to work. We were standing on Liberty and Broadway, a block away from Church Street, where the towers stood. We had just begun to walk down Liberty towards Church when a police officer made everyone go back to Broadway. I have often wondered if that police officer survived. He probably had not because the buildings fell about 15 minutes later.