A New Bell for Those Who Died Later
For the first time in 25 years, the ceremony at Ground Zero paused on Friday for a seventh moment of silence to honor people who died of illnesses linked to the dust and smoke of the Sept. 11 attacks. The moment was observed at 12:52 p.m., after the reading of the names, CBS News reported, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum has said it will be a permanent part of the annual ceremony.
The original six moments of silence mark when each World Trade Center tower was struck and when each fell, along with the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The new one recognizes a toll that has grown larger than the 2,977 people killed that day. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said this week that "more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than were killed on the day itself," according to CNN. The ceremony followed the city's release this week of more than 170,000 pages of records about air quality after the attacks, which MedicalDaily has covered separately.
For families who lost a parent or spouse to a 9/11-related cancer years later, the bell also carries a practical reminder. The federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund can pay the personal representative of someone who died of a 9/11-related physical illness, but registration deadlines apply, and some families may not know the clock is running.
Compensation Fund Figures Released Before the Anniversary
Earlier this week, MedicalDaily reported that the World Trade Center Health Program certified more than 10,000 new cancers in a single year. The newest figures come from the compensation fund, a separate program run by the Justice Department.
As of Aug. 31, the fund had received more than 112,000 claims and awarded over $18.56 billion to more than 77,000 claimants since reopening in 2011, Special Master Allison Turkel said in remarks released by the Justice Department. The fund still receives more than 750 new claims a month, and in 2025 it issued more than 9,800 award decisions worth over $1.8 billion.
Turkel said as many as 400,000 people who lived, worked, went to school, or visited the New York City exposure zone may have been exposed to toxins. Eligibility covers Lower Manhattan below Canal Street from Sept. 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002, plus the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, sites during shorter windows. It is not limited to first responders. Eligible groups include journalists, construction and cleanup workers, utility crews, and volunteers, along with residents, office workers, students, and visitors.
Because records are harder to find 25 years later, the fund has updated its guidance on proving presence and launched an interactive guide that walks claimants through the documents they need. Relatives can help an aging responder or survivor track down old leases, pay stubs, or school records.
Deadlines Families Should Check Now
The final deadline to file a claim is Oct. 1, 2090, but registration deadlines are far shorter. Under the fund's eligibility rules, people generally must register within two years of the date a government entity, usually the World Trade Center Health Program, notifies them that a physical health condition is 9/11-related. Registration is a separate step from filing a claim, and it preserves the right to file later.
Claims for someone who has died follow their own rules. If the person registered on time before death, the family's claim is treated as timely. If not, the personal representative generally must register within two years of the later of two dates: the date of death or the date the fund verifies that the condition that caused the death was 9/11-related. In limited cases, such as a death from a condition the health program never certified, the fund can verify the condition through its private physician process. Families should confirm their specific deadline with the fund rather than assume they have years to act.
"People do not have to be sick to register with the VCF," Turkel said. According to the fund, registration waives no legal rights, and claimants do not need a lawyer. Turkel said a 2019 law fully funded the program to pay all eligible claims. The fund's helpline, 1-855-885-1555, handles more than 4,000 calls a month on average. She also warned about look-alike websites, noting that the official fund's website ends in .gov.
Families who lost someone can start gathering documents now, including the death certificate (ideally the long form that lists the cause of death), any WTC Health Program letters, proof of presence such as leases or school and employment records, and court papers naming a personal representative for the estate.
Care, Screening, and the Paperwork Ahead
Compensation and health care are separate but linked. The World Trade Center Health Program provides no-cost monitoring and treatment of certified conditions for responders and survivors, including people who lived, worked, or went to school in the disaster area as children or adults. Its certification is also the most common way to document a condition for the compensation fund. Enrolling in one program does not automatically register a person with the other.
Cancer is now the most frequently certified condition, and chronic sinus disease, acid reflux, asthma, and post-traumatic stress disorder are also common. Anyone who lived, worked, or studied in Lower Manhattan after the attacks should share that history with doctors, especially with a new cancer diagnosis, a persistent cough, shortness of breath, or chronic heartburn.
People with heavier exposure include responders and recovery workers who spent long periods at the site and residents who returned early to Lower Manhattan. Many have since moved far from New York, and the health program serves them through a nationwide provider network. Chest pain, sudden breathlessness, or coughing up blood need emergency care regardless of exposure history.
The health program publishes updated statistics quarterly, with the next release expected this fall, and the compensation fund updates its figures regularly. MedicalDaily will track both.
The seventh bell made visible a health crisis that has unfolded slowly for 25 years. The most useful step for survivors is to register with both programs, even if they feel healthy, and for grieving families to confirm their deadline before it passes.
Key Questions Answered
What was new at this year's 9/11 ceremony?
A seventh moment of silence honored people who died of 9/11-related illnesses. It followed the reading of names and will be a permanent part of the ceremony.
How many people have died from 9/11-related illnesses?
Counts vary by source, but New York City's mayor said more people have now died from 9/11-related illnesses than the 2,977 killed on the day.
Can families of people who died later receive compensation?
Yes. A personal representative can file a claim with the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund if the death was linked to an eligible 9/11-related physical condition.
Is there a deadline?
Claims can be filed until Oct. 1, 2090, but registration deadlines are much shorter and depend on individual circumstances. Families should confirm theirs with the fund.
Do people need to be sick to register?
No. The fund says people do not have to be sick to register, and registration preserves the right to file a claim later.
Who is eligible?
People present in Lower Manhattan below Canal Street from Sept. 11, 2001, to May 30, 2002, or at the Pentagon or Shanksville sites during set periods, including non-responders.
How can people avoid scams?
Use only official .gov websites and the fund's helpline at 1-855-885-1555. Claimants do not need a lawyer to register.
