LI Veteran Still Feeling the Effects of 9/11 Applies for 9/11 VCF

Anthony Caruso is a retired Army Reservist Captain and NYPD Lieutenant from Long Island who still remembers the smell of the smoke at Ground Zero following the 9/11/01 terror attacks. As a National Guard Officer, he answered the call to help in the recovery and clean-up efforts, and then went on to serve his country in Iraq. Little could he imagine that simply breathing the air at Ground Zero would continue to affect him 18 years later.

Responding to 9/11/01

Anthony, who was at the time an NYPD sergeant stationed in Brooklyn, as well as an Army National Guard lieutenant assigned to the 204th Engineering Battalion (based in Riverhead), remembers it well.

“I was off that day and received a call early in the morning, telling me to turn on the TV – that our country had been attacked,” recalls Caruso. “I turned on the TV and was transfixed by what I saw.”

His National Guard unit was activated as a result of the attacks and Caruso, then a recently commissioned second lieutenant and platoon leader, was sent with his unit to Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, before being sent down to Ground Zero to work security operations. He and his unit worked 16-hour shifts where they secured the site and provided roving patrols in the area during rescue, recovery and clean-up operations.

“We were in a convoy of cargo trucks and when we got through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, we were greeted by people with signs, shouting ‘USA, USA’ – so it was a very patriotic welcome. There was an overwhelming sense of sadness because of how many people died that day,” Caruso states.

“It was very surreal to see the pile, the devastation, the loss of life. You couldn’t believe it; it didn’t seem real,” he said. “The smoke, the smell of destruction, debris was burning on the surface for weeks, ongoing fires, but underneath it was burning like lava. The smell was like burning plastic – a burning tire kind of smell – one you will never forget. The volume of destruction was unfathomable.”

Caruso and his unit had Army-quality respirators, but he said they could smell the air if they took the respirators off to drink water. And if they took their respirators off for some other reason, they would have several people yelling at them to “put your mask back on.” He noticed that the respirators his unit had were in short supply, and that most of the people engaged in the rescue and recovery efforts were wearing thin paper masks.

After his National Guard unit was pulled back a few weeks later, Caruso continued to assist in the clean-up efforts as a member of the NYPD through the spring of 2002. At that point, he was exposed to the air, wearing the thin paper masks that were not as efficient as his Army respirator.

Military Service in Iraq

Caruso joined the National Guard 204th Engineering Battalion in 2000 out of a patriotic love of country and as an inspiration by his grandfather, who served in the Army National Guard. Months before 9/11/01, he received his commission as a second lieutenant. In 2003, he switched over to the Army Reserve.

In 2006, Caruso was deployed to Iraq to serve with the 310th MP Battalion in Southern Iraq. His rank was as an intelligence officer, having been on military leave with the NYPD.

While deployed in Iraq, Anthony noticed that the smoke clouds generated by the Army’s “burn pits” smelled very similar to the smoke at Ground Zero. He wondered if the exposure to similar toxins in the air – which at times he says covered the entire base where he was stationed – could lead to similar health issues experienced by those at Ground Zero. This is a connection he’s currently researching.

After his service in Iraq, Caruso returned to the NYPD and eventually retired with the rank of lieutenant in 2013, with 26 years in service.

Health issues and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund

It was between 2002 and 2003 that Caruso first noticed recurring respiratory problems which he believes were the result from his exposure to the toxic air at Ground Zero. Before his exposure to the air at Ground Zero, he never had any respiratory problems.

Caruso had access to health care and screenings through the NYPD. Despite this, he eventually developed several recurring health issues which included asthma, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), sleep apnea, and the growth of polyps on his vocal cords, nose, and colon, along with a growth in his breast – which were removed and found to be benign.

“I’m an individual that doesn’t complain. If you get hurt, you just suck it up and move on,” Caruso said. “At first, I was skeptical about the connection between the air and the illnesses, but after seeing more and more of these cases and connecting the dots and all of the new things that are coming to light all these years later, this is far too coincidental. I saw people develop cancers and all sorts of health issues.”

Caruso says he knows a lot of his colleagues who have developed 9/11 related-illnesses, some of whom have passed away. Earlier this year, Caruso watched the efforts to extend the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) and was overwhelmed by fellow NYPD officer Lou Alvarez’ bravery, courage, and dedication throughout his testimony alongside Jon Stewart in that now famous speech before congress.

“I grieve for Lou and his family,” Caruso said. “To see the healthy individual he was – and see what he went through and see him fighting for everyone till his last breath – is beyond commendable. I respect the man beyond words. James Zadroga was the catalyst and Lou picked up the torch and ran with it to his dying breath.”

It was at that point that Anthony, encouraged by his wife Doreen, worked with the law firm of Turley, Hansen & Rosasco, LLP to formerly apply for the 9/11 VCF.

“I’m thinking long-term right now, in case something more develops. Before 9/11, I never had health issues, except for a minor cold,” Anthony said. “I have a wife and a young son to think about.”

His wife Doreen understands the importance of the 9/11 VCF after Anthony has undergone the health issues that he has, at a relatively young age, he knows and understands he is not alone.

“Over the summer, when the Victim Compensation Fund was in the news, is when we realized how important this was,” Doreen said. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen a lot of his colleagues get sick; young men and women. You never think anything is going to happen, but you just don’t know. You’re so busy with everyday life and you pray these health issues will not get worse. Then another illness appears. When you see Lou, you realize this is your life and it needs to be addressed.”

Attorney Troy Rosasco, who is handling Caruso’s 9/11 VCF application, says it is a special honor to help veterans who have served our country and answered the call at Ground Zero.

“As a veteran myself, it is no surprise my fellow veterans put country before themselves when responding at Ground Zero on 9/11,” said Rosasco. “Just like Agent Orange in Vietnam, the toxins at Ground Zero are causing cancers 18 years later. Thankfully, both the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and the World Trade Center Health Program provide both medical and monetary assistance for our veterans. Every day, it is my honor to help fellow veterans navigate the system so they get all the benefits they deserve. We should all honor their service this Veterans Day.”

Caruso says his experience with Turley Hansen & Rosasco, LLP has been positive and it’s a sense of relief to work with experts that specialize in 9/11 VCF law.

“The firm has been excellent,” Caruso said. “Their caring and constant communication has been great. They’re very proactive in addressing these issues with compassion. When facing a lot of unknowns, it’s good to have a law firm that’s on your side to address these issues and informs you of your rights. Sharing more information is always a good thing. Anybody that was down there at Ground Zero – and that’s probably tens of thousands of people, that over the years got sick because of their exposure to that toxic air – they have to be aware of where to go for help. They have to be educated about what options they have.”

Caruso encourages anyone who worked or lived in the Lower Manhattan area near Ground Zero during that time period to find out if they qualify for the 9/11 VCF.

“As the days, months and years go on, it’s only going to get more apparent that all of these illnesses are linked to the rescue, recovery, and clean-up effort at Ground Zero. The 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund gives some sense of security for the future. Whoever was down there now has a sense of support and some level of confidence that their sacrifice and service will not be forgotten.”