9-11 Responders

By Bill Mooney

Greg Quibell arrived at Ground Zero in the hours following the 9-11 attacks.  He stayed working on the pile through thanksgiving.  All the while he was breathing in what his partner claims was a toxic cloud of poisons that she says ultimately led to him getting Leukemia.

I met his partner Theresa Galoppe - at North Shore LIJ Hospital in Manhasset - where Greg will be allowed to go home today.  But he is not going home a cured man. He is going home to die.  The Leukemia that has ravaged his body has left him frail and weak, his once large frame now a gaunt skeleton lying in a hospital bed.  He can no longer speak.  His breathing is labored. 

Theresa says she knows the leukemia is the direct result of being at Ground Zero.  And she says now, seven years after the attacks, another wave of death is about to grip the nation, this time in greater numbers than the first attacks.  They are the men and women who rushed there to help and now are under attack from disease themselves.

Quibell was one of four first responders to be featured in a documentary - produced by the Feelgood Foundation - that will be released on Thursday, August 28th at the Bellmore Theater at 7pm.  John Feal, the founder of the foundation, says they produced the documentary to get the attention of lawmakers, whom he says have left this group of heros to die alone.

Feal says the documentary is intended to shed light on how first responders are being treated by the government when it comes to getting proper health care.  And while he says it may make lawmakers more aware, and convince them to make sure first responders are taken care of, he admits it won't be in time to help Greg Quibell, and many other responders, who are now in the battle of their lives for their lives.

Comments

[Michael]

Has everyone lost their goddamn minds? Does anyone know of or care about the recent die-off of aquatic life in the Long Island Sound and the Great South Bay due to the pesticide spraying for west Nile? One person died. ONE PERSON!!! Now, without any discussion from "WE THE PEOPLE", the okay is given for spraying? This is outrageous. When are we as a people going to stand up to this? Something must be done. People should be up in arms. I never watch the news because I am aware of the spin factor and special interest groups that control the media. I just found out about this twenty minutes ago from my fiancee. Had I known sooner you bet I'd be bringing down a mob to stop those spraying trucks from leaving there posts. People, we must come together and fight for our rights. Life, Liberty, & the pursuit of happiness? This is no way to live. I will have to get Gary Null involved in this situation. He is a champion of humanity.

[Bill Pezzulo]

Dear Bill,
Thank you for bringing this story to the public. I grew up with Greg Quibell and we played together in a rock band in the 70's. As we grew older, we lost touch, but I always heard about the good things Greg was doing in his life through our mutual friends from the old neighborhood. Tomorrow I will get to see Greg, but unfortunately, we will not be able to talk about all the good times of the past. Sadly, Greg passed away Wednesday evening.
Sincerely,
Bill Pezzulo

[john feal]

Bill great job and thank you.

“Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure”

Abraham Lincoln

Sincerely John Feal

9/11 responder

Advocate

Civilian above and beyond Congressional medal of honor recipient

Living organ donor

President & Founder of the Fealgood Foundation