9/11 Hero’s Final Congressional Testimony

Brut America

Former NYPD detective and 9/11 first responder Luis Alvarez has died of cancer at 53. This is his final testimony before Congress in his fight for the Victim Compensation Fund.

Transcript

00:00It is my goal, and it is my legacy, to see that you do the right thing for all 9-11 responders.

00:12You made me come because I will not stand by and watch as my friends with cancer, 9-11,

00:33like me, are valued less than anyone else because of when they get sick, they die.

00:46I have been lucky enough to have had 68 rounds of chemo.

00:51Yeah, you heard me right, 68 rounds.

00:59Many others haven't had the opportunity to have five, and some have had none.

01:09Their families would love to have time with them.

01:14That made mine have time with me because I have been lucky enough to have the pain and

01:24suffering of 69 rounds of chemo and countless other treatments and surgeries.

01:34It is my goal, and it is my legacy, to see that you do the right thing for all 9-11 responders.

01:49Please understand that we are not here for anything for ourselves.

01:58We became police officers, firefighters, paramedics, to help others.

02:07We went to ground zero for Pentagon and Shanksville to help people first and then help their families

02:19bury someone or something.

02:23We were there with one mission, and we left after completing that mission.

02:30I have been to many places in this world and done many things, but I can tell you that

02:46I did not want to be anywhere else but ground zero when I was there.

02:54We were part of showing the world that we would never back down from terrorism and that

03:02we could all work together, no races, no colors, no politics.

03:11Now that the 9-11 illnesses have taken many of us, and we are all worried about our children

03:21and spouses and our families if we are not here, the VCF has done a wonderful job and

03:34treated my family with greatest respect.

03:41But my life isn't worth more than the next responder to get cancer.

03:48My family needs are not worth less than any others who have already died.

03:57This fund is not a ticket to paradise.

04:03It is there to provide for our families when we can't, nothing more.

04:11You all said you would never forget, well I'm here to make sure that you don't.

04:20You made me come down here the day before my 69th round of chemo, and I'm going to make

04:30sure that you never forget to take care of the 9-11 responders.

04:39Thank you for your time.

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