On the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, veteran Fox News anchor and reporter Eric Shawn revealed that he has been diagnosed with cancer and a respiratory condition stemming from exposure to toxic dust at Ground Zero.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Shawn shared that this year he received two diagnoses certified under the World Trade Center Health Program — a federal initiative established to monitor and treat illnesses related to 9/11 exposure. “I have two different diagnoses under the World Trade Center Program,” Shawn said, referring to his cancer and bronchitis-related respiratory illness.
Recalling the immediate aftermath of the attacks, Shawn reflected, “Back then, I remember thinking, maybe in 20, 30 years later, I’ll get something. Well, here it is, 24 years.”
He emphasized that the health consequences of that day did not end on September 11, 2001, pointing out that while 2,977 people died in the attacks, many more have since been afflicted — and some have died — from illnesses related to the toxic exposure. Recent reporting claims the number of people with cancers tied to 9/11 toxins has risen to nearly 48,000, including first responders and others exposed.
The New York Post continues:
The health crisis extends far beyond the original death toll of 2,977 people killed in the attacks. Centers for Disease Control data shows cancer diagnoses among those exposed to the toxic debris have skyrocketed, with nearly 10,000 new cases reported in the past year alone.
More than 3,700 first responders have died since 9/11, including 2,300 from cancer-related illnesses. The New York Fire Department has been particularly devastated, losing 409 members to post-attack health complications.
Shawn emphasized that exposure wasn’t limited to emergency personnel. Anyone south of Canal Street during and after the attacks faced potential contamination from the deadly dust cloud.
“If you were below Canal Street, basically, you were exposed to the dust,” he explained. “I was here reporting on it. That’s what happened with me.”
The CDC’s World Trade Center Health Program and other public health sources estimate that about 400,000 people — including responders, workers, residents, and students — were exposed. Advocates and city officials often cite a breakdown of approximately 91,000 rescue and recovery workers, 57,000 residents south of Canal Street, and 15,000 students and staff south of Canal. In addition, hundreds of thousands of building occupants and passersby inhaled dust from pulverized building materials, electronic equipment, and furniture that lingered in the air for months.
Shawn’s revelation came on a day of remembrance as survivors, first responders, and their families continue to grapple with the long shadow cast by that tragic day.
READ NEXT: Biden Jobs Report Hid Massive Error — Who’s Responsible?
