The Long Shadow of Ground Zero: When Trauma Lingers Long After the Dust Settles The 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has brought renewed attention to the health effects suffered by first responders and survivors who worked at ground zero.
Many have spoken out about their experiences, but others are still struggling to cope with the consequences of that fateful day. Michael O'Connell's story is a testament to this ongoing struggle.
A firefighter deployed to lower Manhattan after the attacks, he didn't experience health problems until 2007, when he was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a multi system inflammatory disease linked to his exposure to toxins at ground zero.