NESCONSET, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — A Sept. 11th memorial wall in Suffolk County will now bear the names of those with 9/11-related illnesses who have died of COVID-19.
There are currently more than 1,500 names on the granite memorial wall in Nesconset at the 9/11 Responders Remembered Memorial Park.
The wall honors those who died from 9/11-related illnesses, but now John Feal from the Feal Good Foundation said the names of those sickened by airborne toxins in the aftermath at ground zero and passed away from COVID-19 will also be added to the memorial.
"When I was done doing my presentation to the board everybody voted unanimously to add those with a 9/11-related illness that have a compromised immune system and pass away from COVID, it was a no-brainer to add them," said Feal. "Good people continue to die. Men and women, non-uniform and uniform, continue to die and pass away from their 9/11-related illnesses 19 years going on 20."
Twenty-two names will soon be added to the wall.
"Family members that I have spoke to, let's just put it this way, there was a lot of crying from a lot of different families so far," Feal said. "For the last coulple of days my eyes have been pitch red because I cried with them. The pain is not gone from losing their loved ones, they were crying because they were honored, they were crying because their loved one's name and legacy will live on."
Feal said by next year this time, 80 names could be added to the wall.
"There are others who are unfortunately going to pass away and nobody's honoring them. They didn't even get the proper funerals and send-offs that a family would usually give," Feal said.