Former Gov. George Pataki Reveals 9/11-Related Lung Disease as Fresh Air Quality Records Surface
Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, former New York Gov. George Pataki has revealed that he is suffering from a 9/11-related restrictive airway disease linked to his toxic exposure at Ground Zero. As the milestone anniversary approaches, the release of over 170,000 pages of air quality reports and government correspondence by New York City officials sheds new light on the persistent health crisis faced by hundreds of thousands of people who breathed the contaminated air in Lower Manhattan.
Pataki, who served as governor during the attacks and their aftermath, disclosed to the New York Post that he has lived with the diagnosis over the last five years. The condition causes symptoms including a cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest pain. Despite his own diagnosis, the 81-year-old Republican insists he considers himself fortunate compared to the rescue workers and volunteers who spent months sifting through the smoking ruins.
The Reality Behind Decades-Old Air Quality Assurances
The newly released archive of more than 170,000 pages of contamination records and official correspondence—made public by Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office—demonstrates that the toxic fallout was far more pervasive than initially let on. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 400,000 individuals were exposed to toxic contaminants.
Pataki is not the only high-profile political figure grappling with the physical toll of that environment. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani also suffers from restrictive airway disease due to his toxic exposure at the site, a condition that a spokesperson noted earlier this year adds complications to any respiratory illness.
Shifting the Focus Back to First Responders
Reflecting on his diagnosis, Pataki emphasized that public attention should remain firmly fixed on the everyday heroes who rushed toward danger. “The people who were with me at Ground Zero over and over for months after those attacks, many of them have serious illnesses, far more serious than anything I might be experiencing,” Pataki told the New York Post.
In a statement provided to the USA TODAY Network, Pataki noted the ongoing struggles of those who answered the call. “Twenty-five years later, many are still living with the consequences of what they did for New York and for America,” he stated. “Some are battling cancers, respiratory illnesses and other conditions linked to their service. Others are struggling with the emotional and financial burdens that have followed them for decades.”
An Ongoing Obligation to Survivors
As the nation prepares to mark a solemn quarter-century since the 2001 attacks, the former governor issued a direct call to action regarding the long-term care of survivors and responders. He argued that society’s duty extends far beyond annual commemorations.
“Our obligation is not simply to thank them once a year,” Pataki continued in his statement to the USA TODAY Network. “It is to stand with them for the rest of their lives. That is where the attention belongs.”
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