Dear Senator Gillibrand:
I am the widow of FDNY Firefighter John F. McNamara who died at the age of 44 from cancer related to his time as a 9/11 First Responder at the World Trade Center. I am also the mother of Jack, who is now 4-years-old. I write to thank you for your unwavering advocacy on behalf of 9/11 Responders and to congratulate you on the passage of the James Zadroga Bill. While this bill was many years in the making, were it not for your staunch support, I am not certain it would have ever passed the Senate.
During the time my husband battled his cancer there were two things he cared about more than anything else. He cared about living long enough so that his son would remember him and he cared about the welfare of other 9/11 Responders. John Feal was a close friend of John's and he can tell you about the trips John took to Washington and the press conferences he spoke at.
On his deathbed in August 2009, John would show visible signs of happiness when I told him there was good news on the bill. Nothing during that time made him happy -- he knew he was dying and would never see his son grow up or spend another carefree day with me. However, he was firm in his belief that one day the Zadroga Bill would become law and those he was leaving behind would be taken care of. Thank you for picking up where my husband left off. I know if he were alive today he would admire you as much as I do. I am sure he is now your special angel too.
For me, nothing will ever be the same. I am still trying to figure out how to live a life without John. Despite that, I take great joy in knowing that no other family will have to worry about making tough choices because of their need for expensive medical treatments. I take great solace in knowing that men and women will have some compensation for the selfless acts they performed as 9/11 Responders. For that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I don't know that I could ever, with any adequacy, express to you how much your support of this bill and our 9/11 Responders and families means. Suffice it to say that in my book you are as much a hero as those who responded on 9/11 and in the days after. Like them, you did what had to be done with dedication, dignity, and grace.
Thank you.
Jennifer McNamara
Widow of FDNY Firefighter John F. McNamara