| Visitors Now: | |
| Total Visits: | |
| Total Stories: |
| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
Dead NYPD Officer’s Body Snatched By New York City To Deny Link To 9/11 Related Illness .. Eye Report
Peace at last: 9/11 cancer cop finally laid to rest after body was 'snatched' by officials disputing the diagnosis
Article found HERE By
31st March 2011
The body of a New York policeman seized by city officials has finally been laid to rest in front of 120 relatives, NYPD officers and mourners.
The funeral of 9/11 first responder George Wong, 48, was due to go ahead yesterday, but had to be postponed after New York City Medical Examiners told relatives they were taking the body away ten minutes before his wake was due to be held on Monday.
Overzealous officials were objecting to his death certificate, which said Mr Wong had died of gastric cancer caused by dust he inhaled while guarding ground zero in the days after the September 11 attacks.
Mr Wong died of gastric cancer on Thursday at the age of 48 after a two year battle with the disease – and he always believed his tumour was caused by his two weeks serving at ground zero.
Finally: The funeral of Ground Zero NYPD officer George Wong – whose body is at the centre of a 9/11 toxins dispute – is laid to rest at a Mulberry St funeral home in Chinatown
Disrespect: The family of George Wong are livid after city health officials seized the body minutes before his wake to scrub out any reference to 9/11 on the death certificate
His death certificate said he died of an illness caused by 9/11 toxins, but the link between dust inhaled after the towers came down and long term health issues is not yet recognised by city health officials.
Mr Wong's death certificate has been scrubbed by officials at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner or OCME, with the cause of death now listed as 'pending'.
Tribute: Mr Wong was carried into the down town funeral parlour by NYPD pall bearers
Mr Wong's brother Howard said the actions of city officials 'totally disrespected our family'.
'They totally disrespected our family. Now my brother can't even rest in peace because of this,' brother Howard Wong told the Post. 'I feel horrible, my mother is crying.'
After Mr Wong passed away last Thursday, Dr Lyla Correoso listed his cause of death as cancer from '9/11 toxic exposure.'
But on Monday, minutes before the Wong family were due to have a wake, the family received a frantic call from the OCME asking for the body.
According to health experts, the link between 9/11 dust and health complications had not yet been proven, and they needed the body for re-examination and to amend the death certificate.
Mr Wong's remains were removed by city workers at 10pm on the same night, leaving relatives no choice but to post pone yesterday's planned funeral.
'The Health Department had issues with the wording on the cause of death – that he died from exposure to 9/11 toxins – and they ordered the Medical Examiner's Office to do it over,' his brother Howard added.
Mr Wong had spent several weeks standing guard at Ground Zero after the Twin Towers fell in 2001, and always believed his time there had triggered the disease.
It is estimated it will take up to three weeks to go over Mr Wong's medical records and reach a verdict.
If the department refutes the cancer was caused by 9/11 dust, it could affect any future compensation claims by the family.
Grieving: Mr Wong's mother, Mei Sin Wong, was left traumatised after the body of her son was taken only hours after his wake.
The funeral of Ground Zero NYPD officer George Wong – whose body is at the centre of a 9/11 toxins dispute – is laid to rest at a Mulberry St funeral home in Chinatown, NYC. Pictured are George Wong's parents – mother, Mei Sin Wong, 73 and father
Speaking to MailOnline, OCME spokesman Ellen Borakove said they had spoken to the Wong family before collecting the body.
She said: 'We spoke for the family and arranged for the body to be collected.
'We will now review all his medical records.'
As it currently stands the city maintains that there is no conclusive link between exposure to toxins from the destroyed World Trade Centre and illnesses that have since emerged in emergency crews who were at the scene.
Mr Wong's family refused to allow city authorities to conduct an autopsy, but the OCME changed the cause of death to 'pending' after conducting an external examination and photographing the body.
His family were only allowed to collect the body – at their own expense – after any mention of 9/11 was erased from his death certificate.
Ms Correoso stood by her findings. She said: 'He did so much for us and that's why it was so important for me to get this right.'
Mr Wong retired from the NYPD on a disability pension in 2006, after 20 years as an officer.
A police source told the Post: 'It's reprehensible. You don't give the body back to the morgue. Even perps don't deserve this. It's about being a human being. Everyone is livid over this.'
