For years, John Feal has been making his voice heard and his name known all throughout Capitol Hill. As an activist and advocate for survivors and victims of 9/11, he’s one of a handful of people that have become synonymous with the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.
Those unfamiliar with Feal might recall seeing an impassioned clip of him and fellow activist/comedian Jon Stewart that went viral a few years ago. The two appeared on Fox News just as a debate over whether to extend the funding bill heated up again within Congress. While the extension eventually got approved, Feal’s nearly decade long battle to get it approved is hardly forgettable.
The new documentary "No Responders Left Behind" assures that it won’t be.
Speaking to 1010 WINS exclusively about the documentary, Feal says he hopes it reminds the world that essential workers deserve better.
While being a first responder himself and having saved countless lives over the years, Feal remains humble. When asked if he considers himself to be a hero, he said, "No."
Compared to his late friends and fellow first responders Ray Pfeifer and Luis Alvarez he says, “You know my 5 and a half days at Ground Zero? My injury? None of that defines me. What I do; anybody could do - and probably do it better. I think the only thing i bring to the table is that I just don’t take ‘No’ for an answer [especially] when people are suffering.”
He says that Pfeifer, Alvarez, and so many countless others who have died since not only deserve to be recognized and remembered for their service on 9/11, but for choosing to spend their last weeks and days with him, instead of with their families.
And their sacrifice only speaks to a larger issue. Despite being called frontline workers, Feal says, “they’re the last line of defense.”
"No Responders Left Behind" is more than a documentary though. It’s a mantra that’s more relevant now than ever.
Using the most current example of COVID, he added, “the government [continues to fail] them...there should be legislation for them to make sure that they have healthcare and compensation for what they’ve done.”
This battle bleeds beyond 9/11 and COVID though. Even after an apparent victory for those victimized by 9/11, Feal’s turned his attention towards another pressing issue. He tells WINS that he and Jon Stewart are seeking justice for veterans who have been exposed to airborne hazards in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other parts of Southeast Asia.
And it won’t stop there either. “I have the ability to make Washington a little nervous,” he jokes.
As we approach the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, in addition to raising awareness about the ongoing needs of all kinds of first responders, Feal hopes that people remember the importance of kindness too.
He recalls, “On 9/12, we were at our best. We gave of each other. We became human beings again. The love, the empathy, the care, and the charity - I pray we put aside our differences, our ideologies, our political affiliations, our religions, our skin color...that would put a smile on my face.”