9/11 burn survivors say they face growing indifference as anniversary approaches

As the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches, several survivors of severe burns are voicing frustration over what they perceive as public apathy. Ken Summers, who was on the 27th floor of the North Tower when the plane struck, recounted being told to "move on" and heard comments that reduced his suffering to a financial payout, despite having undergone numerous skin grafts and living with chronic pain and PTSD.

Lauren Manning, a Cantor Fitzgerald executive who was burned over 80 percent of her body, said people gravitate toward simpler narratives, causing the immediacy of the attacks to fade. Former North Tower custodian William Rodriguez warned that survivors are often labeled as wealthy beneficiaries, a claim he disputes, noting his own period of homelessness after the attacks. Brian Branco, who worked on the 78th floor of the South Tower, recalled insensitive remarks from acquaintances shortly after the tragedy. Their remarks arrive as NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch urged the nation to maintain moral clarity and reject revisionist narratives about the attacks.