Jacob Fortinsky and his twin sister Sarah were nearly four years old on the morning of September 11, 2001, when the first plane struck the World Trade Center. Their family apartment, located one block west of the towers on the 21st floor of Gateway Plaza, was engulfed by dust and debris after the collapse of the south tower, shattering their windows and filling their home with darkness. Their earliest memories include their mother and nanny guiding them and their younger sister down to a basement boiler room as neighbors fled the building, with makeshift wet cloths used as filters against the toxic dust.

Now 28, Fortinsky recalls the physical and psychological aftermath of the attack, including the development of asthma and his mother’s breast cancer, ailments he and others attribute to exposure to the hazardous dust. “It’s hard to know with 100 percent certainty if it’s from 9/11, but it obviously took a toll on my body,” he said. Like many others exposed as children, he grew up under the shadow of chronic respiratory problems and a persistent fear of developing serious illness.

Research into the long-term health effects of September 11 initially centered on first responders, many of whom have since suffered respiratory diseases and cancer linked to their toxic exposure at ground zero. Studies have since expanded to include local residents, workers, and children living near the World Trade Center, though questions remain about the full scope of health outcomes, particularly among those exposed as young children.

Dana Nelson, diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33, is among those who believe their illnesses stem from 9/11 exposure. On the morning of the attacks, the Staten Island teenager was taking her usual ferry to Lower Manhattan and later walking home from school near the towers when the destruction unfolded. She developed post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic sinus issues in the years following and noted a pattern of illnesses among former classmates. Nelson’s father was also diagnosed with kidney cancer, reinforcing her belief in a shared environmental cause.

Data from the New York City Health Department’s long-term study of approximately 71,000 individuals exposed near the World Trade Center, including over 3,000 children at the time, indicate that about 25 percent of exposed children have been diagnosed with asthma, higher than the 16 percent rate observed among their unexposed peers. Additionally, those present as children have a 50 percent increased likelihood of being diagnosed with depression compared to New Yorkers with similar demographic backgrounds.

Mental health professionals highlight the profound psychological impact on children who witnessed the attacks. Dr. Rebecca Rosen, mental health director at the World Trade Center health program, emphasizes that early exposure to such trauma can shape lifelong perspectives, often instilling a sense of unpredictability or fear. For the Fortinsky family, the event remained a source of anxiety: Sarah endured nightmares of the dust cloud for years, and the family eventually relocated to Westchester County to escape reminders of the attacks.

While many questions about long-term cancer risks and other health effects persist, the experiences of individuals like Fortinsky and Nelson underscore a continuing concern about the lasting legacy of 9/11 exposure on children and residents living near the World Trade Center. Ongoing research by public health authorities aims to further clarify these risks and provide support for those affected.