9/12: The Epic Battle of the Ground Zero Responders

by William H. Groner, Tom Teicholz

9/12 is the saga of the epic nine-year legal battle waged by William H. Groner against the City of New York and its contractors on behalf of the more than ten thousand first responders who became ill as a result of working on the Ground Zero cleanup. These first responders—like AT&T Disaster Relief head Gary Acker and New York Police Department detectives Candiace Baker, Thomas Ryan, and Mindy Hersh—rushed to Ground Zero and remained to work on the rescue and recovery mission, which lasted for the next nine months. Their selfless bravery and humanity were rewarded with horrible health issues resulting from the toxic stew of chemicals present in the dust and debris that government officials such as Mayor Rudy Giuliani and EPA chief Christine Todd Whitman had assured them was safe. Groner, a lead attorney in the mass tort litigation, fought for their illnesses to be acknowledged and for them to receive validation and closure, as well as for compensation—an eventual aggregate award of more than $800 million.

As detailed in 9/12, the battle for the Ground Zero responders was waged not only in the courtroom but also in the press, in medical and scientific research centers, and among politicians at the local, state, and federal levels, as well as in the halls of Congress to pass the Zadroga Health and Compensation Act. 9/12 weaves together Groner’s firsthand account with glimpses into the first responders’ lives as they try to understand and overcome their illnesses. The result is an intimate look into their battles—physical, mental, and legal—that will leave you cheering for these heroes who, in spite of everything, would do it all again. Told by Groner and journalist Tom Teicholz, 9/12 is the story of the brave public servants who showed up when their country needed them most, of their fight for redress, and of their victory in the face of the seemingly insurmountable.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, History

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2019

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the topic of this book is very important, taking care of 9/11 responders the delivery of this book is highly repetitive and honestly, just boring. I am not sure what could have made it better, maybe the length or more personal stories.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars (liked a lot)

[Matt- History on the Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every year around this time, I make it a point to read about September 11th. Sometimes it’s a familiar book, like last year’s reread of a favorite, or other times it’s a completely new one that offers fresh insights into an aspect I’ve explored before—or introduces me to something entirely new. This year’s book falls into the latter category: 9/12: The Epic Battle of the Ground Zero First Responders by William Groner and Tom Teicholz.

In 9/12, Groner and Teicholz recount the harrowing story of how exposure to toxic elements in the dust from the collapse of the Twin Towers led to a wave of diseases and cancers among first responders who selflessly answered the call. The book focuses on the decade-long legal battle to secure compensation and recognition for these brave individuals, shedding light on the complexities and challenges of the lawsuit brought by Ground Zero responders against the entities responsible for cleanup and recovery efforts.

This deeply researched work benefits from Groner’s firsthand experience as one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs, offering a detailed and nuanced perspective on the legal twists and turns that followed the toxic exposure and sicknesses that followed. While the book centers primarily on the legal saga rather than the immediate aftermath of the attacks—a less-explored aspect of this history—it nonetheless underscores the lasting consequences of that tragic day.

9/12: The Epic Battle of the Ground Zero First Responders serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by those who put their city and country above themselves in a moment of crisis. It highlights an often-overlooked legacy of September 11th, one that continues to permeate lives and regrettably still claims the heroes who answered the call when they were needed most.

[Cassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book delves into an equally important & compelling topic. It starts off strong and more narrative, as it describes the day-to-day trials of working at Ground Zero from both a first responder perspective and that of the people sorting debris at the landfill. It also goes into the initial response from New York city officials to questions regarding the safety of the dust in the air. This first portion of the book raised quite a few points of view that I hadn't thought about and made me curious to learn more.

Unfortunately, as the book went on it began to get more repetitive in nature and I found it difficult to follow the progression of the lawsuits going on. It also lost the personal perspective at points (of the clients of the firm). I think the middle and end portions of the book could have benefited from being edited down into a more narrative non-fiction format & some of the legal back & forth simplified for the listener. I'm not sure if the print version would be easier to follow, or include a timeline of events.
There is no argument that this book is packed full of great information, but the difficult to follow nature of the second half brought its rating and enjoyability down for me.

[Thomas Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable book that tells the story of the battle for justice among those who served the city of New York and the country in one of its darkest hours only to be betrayed by the City’s insistence that there was no connection between working at Ground Zero and lung illness. This book is of importance legally, medically, and historically. The period between the closure of the first VCF and the opening of the second one is in many ways about abandonment and failure by our leadership and for all the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, City and Federal officials will be in the end responsible for more 9/11 deaths than Bin Laden. A must 9/11 read.

[Audiobook Accomplice (Gillian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good heavens—Didn’t really think about the first responders until Jon Stewart’s shaming of the Senate. Unfortunate narration drives a 4-star listen down to a higher 3-stars.
My Full Review

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating legal case. Sad to see the struggle responders had/have in order to be taken care of with their injuries from Ground Zero.

[Roberta Westwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

The repercussions of 9-11 on all those who spent time cleaning up Ground Zero. Stunned to learn that people worked without respirators. Such dreadful consequences. What’s remarkable is the legal battle to get compensation was so long and hard. I enjoy a complex legal case and this did not disappoint.