Remembering 9/11

0:00So I think we all have those memories of where we were on 9-11. Oh, yeah, we found out what was happening and the All of the hard work of reporters all across the country. You were here. Yeah covering that event here at WJ I was at home first and then I was at home because I don't think it was time for me to come in at the time and then my wife at the time she called me From her job and she said hey, it just went into World Trade Center I was like oh, and I'm watching something else. So I turned on cable and I'm seeing the smoke come from there, and you know, we're talking on the phone and while we're talking on the phone I see the second plane hit. I was like okay Not right because at first I thought maybe somebody had had a medical issue and they flew into the you know like okay I'm gonna be an accident, but when that second plane hit I knew and then that's when I came in early and started Working here. Erich on the Fox News senior correspondent also remembers that day reporting from ground zero 25 years ago and in fact this left another mark on him in many other ways and he started a new podcast

1:08It's called the rewind 9-11 podcast and Erich Sean joins us this morning. Erick. It's great to have you Hey, good morning Chris. Yeah, Lord Jamie. How are you? Well, what does this? What does this milestone this 25th remembrance of 9-11? What does it mean to you? Does it take you back to that day? Wow, yeah, it does. I can't believe it's been a quarter of a century. I mean when I think of it It's not like one day has gone by you talk about that plane It went over my head that morning. I'm walking to work beautiful fall September day that blue sky they talk about 9-11 blue and This plane is the jetliner was like I'm walking it's like really loud I looked up it's kind of sloppy kind of crabbing to the right and and it's like when the jet engines were like You know a trust as opposed to just flying on my man's really low God, I thought he was gonna hit more skyscraper. I'm like no My mind's playing tricks on the gonna go to La Guardia Airport. No

2:11turn the corner it was a Primary election day and the microwave bands and the new stations were there and they're like playing at the World Trade Center I'm like that's the plane I ran to Fox as as you said There was a plumber NTSB official saying well probably a small plane that lasted the sun When I ran down to the assignment desk said no, it's an airline or I saw it is like a 737 and they said you know Get up on the air right away and I went up on the air which on Scott on the Fox News channel I that's how we started or coverage you know and then what Go ahead there Bob's because they didn't that night went down to Ground zero and I hate that term for weeks and weeks Well, you know in those first days. I know you believe survivors would still be found What was it like when you know that hope slowly gave way to the realization that very few people would be rescued? Yeah, we basically you couldn't believe it I going down that night. It was just like a health scape But there was hope I mean the dust and the air that

3:13It was like a soup of toxic soup the dust was like six inches of this dust all over the place But we had hope that that people would be pulled out Uh the rescuers and firefighters and police officers when they finished the shits would walk by us and they'd they'd say oh We heard a rumor. Oh, we got that they they rescued some people from here. Oh, they got a guy here They did rescue They call it the staircase survivors There are people under a staircase that were saved and someone else was rescued But it took a few days for everyone to realize no they Thousands of people vanished here because of the the crush of those those those office buildings those beautiful towers What is your reaction to the city launching this portal with 170,000 pages of documents dealing with air quality Because you were someone that was in that air at the time going Down as you said to ground zero so many times Yeah, I it's like what took them so long why you know that we knew when you're down there

4:18You know it wasn't good. It's all this dust and but we didn't know at the time and you've got the accurate bitter Metal smell which I still remember you know wasn't good for you But we didn't know that it has 350 chemicals. There's cancer causing benzene and asbestos And you know, Christie's how wetman the EPA administrators said all they are safe and Laura Manhattan. Well really was it no um, I think one of the legacies that is emerging now from my 11 Is the fact that people are being killed in my view by al-Qaeda Americans are being killed by al-Qaeda now. It's because of the people who are dying from 9 11 related illnesses and I have some of those No, it's it's a you you phonism. No Al-Qaeda did it 9,000 people have died from 9 11 related illnesses 60,000 of the diagnosed with cancer 190,000 are in the World Trade Center health program. I'm one of them and I you know that in November

5:20I was had an uncontrollable cough the doctor goes. Oh, yeah, you got the world trade center cough that Actually is a cute chronic bronchitis There's asthma Men get your PSA check mine went from it should be a two or three It went from seven nine 11 and like it another weeks. Take that. I had aggressive prostate cancer I have a high probability of that my PSA went to 20 so I get I'm in the program. I get checked every three months For that and then this good cancer from the dust so I'm glad that some of this is being brought out now uh, but sadly I think one of the Legacies as we're seeing you're going to have an increasing number of people who are dying and have died and are suffering now That's the only reason I'm bringing this up to try bring attention to the people who are suffering. I'm fortunate and lucky I'm taking care of this under control But I think that's something that most people I didn't know there 50,000 people have cancer from this last year when I mentioned it on the air

6:20So I think that's something to keep the mind well god bless you for bringing that to our attention as well Um, I do want to ask you about your podcast, but you said something a minute ago. You said you don't like the term ground zero Yeah, you know I when you go down there now and I would urge everyone if when you're in New York go to the museum go to the site Uh, this has been I think one of the most difficult weeks I've had I actually don't know why I have to say I think it's because it's 25 years When I've been reporting on the channel down at the site the fountains and it gives gives me comfort and solace and it is a very moving emotional Experience and I would urge people to to go visit them out a lot of the moral of the museum You know when you come to New York City And just quickly about the podcast Yeah, we have a podcast at Fox News podcast.com hosted by Bill Hammer where we go through that whole day and I would urge people to listen and you know Just think about our fellow Americans we were united at that at that time and I wish we got can get that

7:25back now and just keep you in your thoughts and your prayers although those people the firefighters the police officers the incredible selfless bravery on the worst day Some of the best day of humanity came out and you know, I think that's something to keep in mind tomorrow Uh god bless you Eric John all the work that you you do and did on that day to bring The latest information to everybody on such a tragic day and and and the lingering effects of it We appreciate you so much. Thank you for your time. Absolutely. And we'll talk soon Absolutely. Thanks so much. Yeah, yeah, you got it Well, I mean, I and I didn't know uh, then he developed that world trade center cough, you know And you think about all that dust and he's almost six inches of it, you know On I'm sure cars and things. I mean, that's a lot man and you know people who are suffering Right now from it still, you know, even after 25 years after the world trade center people are still dealing with what happened

8:27in the effects Yep, and a lot of people with cancer diagnosis. Yes. Yeah cancer diagnosis He's been battling that as well But all the side effects of what was in those buildings spilling on to New York City and the the rippling effects of it is Staggering All right, we'll take a break coming up next Dennis Lennox joins the show longtime political commentator He's got a new piece out Trump appelluses a grift and not a convention. It's next