Prayer Card
- Description
- Prayer card created in memory of William J. Gormley. The front of the card includes a photograph of Gormley wearing his fire helmet. On the back of the card is printed text that reads: "In Loving Memory of | William J. Gormley | May 25, 1964 | June 14, 2017," followed by a prayer.
- Historical Notes
- On June 14, 2017, 53-year old William John Gormley, a retired New York City firefighter who participated in the rescue and recovery operations at Ground Zero, died of lung and bladder cancer traced to toxins prevalent at the WTC site. He left behind a wife and four children, including his daughter Bridget, who became an advocate for 9/11 related health effects.
The Nike marathon shirt emblazoned with the word “Dust” was worn by a Gormley family friend, Brian Sherras, who annually ran in the New York City Marathon. The year that William Gormley died, Sherras chose to wear the shirt to commemorate Gormley and to “spread the word about 9/11 illnesses.”
Gormley represents one of the hundreds of uniformed first responders who participated in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site and who, after a period of latency, developed debilitating illnesses and cancers tied to toxic exposures. Like Gormley, many have succumbed to these conditions.
- Accession Number: C.2020.72.2
- Dimensions: 4.5 in X 2.5 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 11.43 cm X 6.35 cm
- Source: Bridget Gormley
- Credit Line: Gift of Bridget Gormley
Ground ZeroHealth EffectsNew York City Fire Department (FDNY)Rescue and RecoveryWorld Trade Center: Dust
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