Summary
Overview
On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, The Daily examines newly released documents revealing that New York City officials knew the air around Ground Zero was unsafe but assured the public it was safe to breathe. The episode features Dana Nelson, who developed cancer after attending high school near Ground Zero, and City Hall reporter Sally Goldenberg, who analyzed 68 boxes of previously hidden documents showing elevated levels of asbestos and carcinogens in Lower Manhattan for months after the attacks.
Dana Nelson's 9/11 Experience and Return to Lower Manhattan
Dana Nelson was a 14-year-old freshman at Stuyvesant High School, just three blocks north of the World Trade Center, on September 11th. She witnessed the attacks from her classroom and fled through clouds of dust and debris. Despite the catastrophic destruction and persistent smell of burning concrete, plastic, and hair, students were told to return to school just three weeks later, with officials repeatedly assuring families that the air was safe to breathe and emphasizing that not returning would mean "the terrorists win."
- Dana was a freshman at Stuyvesant High School, three blocks north of the World Trade Center, on her fourth day of high school
- She witnessed the first tower burning from her ninth-floor English classroom, then experienced the collapse from the second floor as dust hit the windows
- Students returned to school just three weeks after the attacks, despite parental concerns about air quality
- Officials assured families the air was safe to breathe and water was safe to drink
- The area remained covered in smoke, ash, and sludge with a pervasive smell when students returned
" It was like as if it was burning concrete. I mean, it's something that until you've smelt it, I don't think you can imagine it. Imagine burnt hair, burnt plastic, a campfire. Every horrible smell combined in that is what it smelled like. And, you know, it's in my nose right now, even as we're talking about it, because we smelled it for so long and it was so strong. "
" If we don't return to normalcy, the terrorists win. Like, oh, if we don't go back, the terrorists win. And like, we need to show them how strong we are because that's the patriotic thing to do. "
The Long-Term Health Consequences
Dana developed chronic health problems almost immediately after 9/11, including severe sinus issues and allergies that were far worse than before the attacks. Nearly 20 years later, at age 33, she was diagnosed with stage two triple negative breast cancer despite having no genetic mutations or family history. Her experience wasn't isolated—her best friend, favorite teacher, and father all developed cancer, with her father eventually dying after his health spiraled following kidney cancer.
- Dana developed severe chronic rhinosinusitis and worsened allergies shortly after returning to Lower Manhattan
- At age 33, she was diagnosed with stage two triple negative breast cancer with no genetic mutations or family history
- Her diagnosis came in 2020, almost 20 years after September 11th
- Her best friend, favorite teacher, and father all developed cancer; her father died after kidney cancer
" I did immediately think that this was the World Trade Center. There was just no reason for me to get breast cancer besides that. And I know that bad things happen to people all the time. I know that we can't always know for sure what caused something, but we can test genetics. I have no genetic mutations. I don't have a strong family history. "
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