FDNY survivor advocates for 9/11 first responders’ medical needs and awareness

NEW YORK (PIX11) — Twenty-three years after the Sept. 11 attacks, FDNY survivors continue to fight for other first responders.

Rob Serra runs the Ray Pfeifer Foundation in honor of his friend and fellow firefighter—Pfeifer, who responded to the World Trade Center on 9/11 and died of cancer in 2017.

The organization helps “cover any medical needs that aren’t covered by the Zadroga Act, which is a lot of stuff, primarily like home hospice care, motorized wheelchairs, oxygen tanks,” Serra told PIX11 News.

Pfeifer spent years pushing for medical coverage for 9/11-related illnesses, often traveling to Washington with Serra and comedian and writer Jon Stewart.

“Ray didn’t like doing stuff like this, this ‘poster boy’ as we called him, but somebody had to do it because of his demeanor; he could tell off a politician with a smile on his face,” Serra remembered.

Serra said he’s concerned that people will forget the sacrifices made by all first responders as time passes.

“They say the funding is there, but it’s Washington, its politics, and they use anything they can to get what they can,” he told PIX11 News.

If you or someone you know is a 9/11 First responder who needs help, contact the foundation at theraypfeiferfoundation.org .

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