A000232
Friday, November 30, 2001 4:48 PM
Comments
Dear Attorney General Ashcroft:
My brother was killed in the word trade center attack. At
the time of his death was engaged to be married to a wonderful woman.
In dealing with the various charities and victim assistance organizations
since this horrific event I have found that there is very little
assistance available for my brother's fiance. We were told by the Red
Cross and the NYS Victims' Assistance Bureau that if and his fiance
had made the decision to live together prior to marriage then she could
make a claim for loss of support. However, since they chose to live
separately prior to their wedding date, she is not entitled to assistance.
fiance has suffered a horrendous loss and indeed her future has
changed forever. Her life will never be the same. Unlike the widow of a
victim, however, she has no standing to claim anything. That is simply
not fair, and I hope this injustice is not continued with this victim fund.
It is my strongly held view that the lives of those victims who are
unmarried should not be treated as though they are worth less than those
who were married. My parents, siblings and my brother's fiance have had
our hearts ripped from us and stomped on by these events. Please do not
make matters worse by enacting rules and regulations that make life
worth less than those who were further along in their life plan. To us,
we not only lost my dear brother, but we lost all of his future progeny.
Although loved children greatly and planned to have several, due
to these horrible events he has no descendants that will carry on his
legacy. This loss will always be with us.
My brother's fiance should be entitled to loss of consortium and his
parents and siblings should be entitled to damage for loss of love and
affection. In addition lost wages should be recoverable even
though he was not currently actively supporting individuals. His future
wages certainly would have been used to do just that.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.
Individual Comment
Boston, Massachusetts