NEW JERSEY – Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and the toll continues to rise as three New Jersey State Troopers have died from illnesses contracted during their service at Ground Zero.
Lt. William Fearon, Staff Sgt. Bryan McCoy, and Trooper I Robert Nagle were involved in the months-long recovery efforts following the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. Each developed cancer as a direct result of their exposure to contaminants at the site.
Lieutenant Fearon enlisted with the New Jersey State Police in September 1994 and was a part of various specialized units during his 22 years and 3 months of service. He was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, in 2015 and died on December 28, 2016, at the age of 49. He leaves behind a mother, brother, wife, and three children.
Staff Sergeant McCoy served as a Hamilton Township police officer before joining the State Police in June 1984. He retired in 2006 after years of service across various units. McCoy was diagnosed with cancer linked to his work at Ground Zero and died on April 6, 2019, at the age of 57. He is survived by his wife, five children, a grandson, and a sister.
Trooper Nagle was a 34-year veteran of the New Jersey State Police and had also served in the Air National Guard for six years. He died on November 26, 2018, at the age of 67 from cancer attributed to his exposure at Ground Zero. Nagle is survived by his wife, two sons, three grandchildren, a brother, and his dogs, Honey and Millie.
The deaths of these officers serve as a poignant reminder of the lingering effects of the 9/11 attacks, not only on the day of the tragedy but also in the years that followed.