9/11 First Responder Richard Roeill: Sept 12th Showed a World 'Compassionate' and United

Richard Roeill, a former New York City firefighter and a first responder at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, described the attacks and their aftermath as "living history" rather than a historical event confined to a single day, according to an interview with France 24's Spotlight program hosted by François Picard.

Roeill said that the anniversary of the attacks each year reactivates trauma for those who responded to the World Trade Center site, and that illnesses suffered by first responders in the years since keep the consequences of Ground Zero present decades later, France 24 reported.

According to the France 24 interview, Roeill recalled the day after the attacks, September 12, 2001, as a moment when "everyone was compassionate," and said the world needs "to be together again," reflecting on the sense of solidarity that followed the tragedy.

Roeill's account, as presented by France 24, went beyond a narrative of sacrifice. He said that responders were misled about the dangers they faced at Ground Zero, referring to the toxic air at the site. He called for accountability over how responders were informed about those risks, and demanded long-term healthcare for those exposed to the toxic conditions during the recovery and cleanup efforts.

The interview was part of France 24's Spotlight program, which featured Roeill's testimony on the enduring physical and psychological effects experienced by 9/11 first responders in the years following the attacks.