W000262
Thursday, November 08, 2001 3:15 PM
I'm a victim
I am a victim of the 9/11 disaster:
I was forced out of my home, which is 4 blocks south of ground zero. I was evacuated by boat to a shelter, and spent the next five nights with friends of friends and family. I then moved to a hotel, where I have stayed since.
Although my building was officially reopened on 9/22, the apartment was covered with dust, and everything needed to be cleaned, at great expense.
The air quality in the neighborhood has been terrible, and full of toxins. Because I have a one year old baby, who has been wheezing since 9/11, his pediatrician stated that he must not live in that neighborhood. My wife and I also have severe coughs, runny noses, headaches, sore throats, itchy eyes, and skin problems which have lasted continuously for the past two months.
Because of the health concerns, especially for our baby, we must find another place to live. Our old apartment had the perfect combination of being bright and quiet, and it was also only a ten minute walk from our office. A similar place uptown where the air is cleaner will cost us at least $1,500 per month more, and we will also incur a realtor fee of over $10,000 and moving expenses of about $3,000.
I have spent considerable time at work on the personal matter of trying to find out about the air, and its long and short term effects on the health of babies, and being in my home when the cleaning was done. My income has sufffered from lack of attention to my work.
I own my own business. My offices were forced closed on 9/11 for six days, over which time no sales were made. I was still responsible for my expenses (rent, payroll, etc.). This adds up to several thousand dollars. I also spent $2,000 on HEPA filters for the office, and bought respirators for all the employees.
Besides the physical health and financial issues, the tragedy of 9/11 had psychological impact, as well. Having heard planes flying low over head and hearing booms and crashes followed by horror, I am brought back to 9/11 whenever I hear a plane or a lound boom. My baby has lived in 6 places in the last two months with no idea what is going on. I don't know which of his toys and furniture we can keep and which must be thrown away. No one seems to be able to answer these questions for us. We don't know when and how we will ever be settled. Eventually these problems will be resolved, but it is very difficult for us at the moment, which puts a strain on everything we do.
No, I am not the hardest hit victim of the tragedy of 9/11, as I was fortunate to not die, or have a family member who died. And my business was not destroyed. But my family and I are victims nonetheless. Since the government has set aside a large amount of money for victims, please consider my request for compensation.
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