It can be argued that everyone across the globe has their own story of what happened to them on September 11, 2001. Well, I was in the third grade at North Oceanside Road School # 5 in Oceanside, NY, where our teachers and principal did a wonderful job of maintaining order and remaining calm for being only a short train ride away from where the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil was occurring while they taught. Many parents pulled their students out of school that day, some of the older kids went on top of "Garbage Hill" where they could see the smoke billowing from the towers across the water while others patiently waited for their moms, dads, grandparents, neighbors or friends to tell them their loved one in the city was okay. Only being 8 years old at the time, I couldn't completely grasp what was happening while it was happening, but today, at age 22, I realize how many members of my community were lost because of the attacks. Many never returned home from that fateful day, and many returned home only to fall ill as we all grew older. This is why the Zadroga Act is important to me.

You might have heard about The Zadroga Act from Jon Stewart's recent short comedy tour on late night staples such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live, as well as his former stomping grounds The Daily Show. The hashtag #worstresponders was floating around social media while citizens were urged to call their congress person and majority leader Mitch McConnell telling them to reauthorize the Zadroga Act, which had enough votes to pass but had expired in September, and needed to be reauthorized by Congress before they go on recess December 19.

So, what is the Zadroga Act? Well, it starts with who is the Zadroga Act? Putting a face to the name certainly brings this political issue home. The Zadroga Act will fund healthcare for the first responders of the 9/11 attacks; those who ran through the smoke, ash, and dust to save others instead of running away from it. Private health insurance doesn’t pay for work-related illness, so people currently being treated for September 11th related health conditions, who got sick because they worked at the World Trade Center site, do not have coverage. The James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in early 2011, established the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program to protect 9/11 first responders until 2015. Well, now it's nearly 2016, and the first responders still need the protection they deserve.

Life long New Jersey resident and 9/11 first responder James Zadroga, pictured above, joined the NYPD in 1992, and was recorded having spent more than 400 hours at Ground Zero. In relatively good health most of his life, before he passed at age 34, Zadroga couldn't walk more than 100 feet without gasping for breath. Week after 9/11 he developed a persistent cough, and as months progressed the cough turned into a shortness of breath, which eventually developed into a need to gasp for air. Initially after his passing, it was disputed by many medical professionals that Zadroga's health was caused by 9/11 rubble and debris. Ultimately it was decided that the illnesses he suffered were in fact caused by his prolonged exposure to dust and chemicals at the World Trade Center site.

Zadroga was a regular American just like everyone else. Not perfect, but he did have the courage to honor our nation and help those in need on September 11th. With all of the concern about the upcoming presidential election, current political issues like the Zadroga Act aren't getting the recognition they deserve. Thankfully, on December 18, the Zadroga Act did pass through the House and Senate, and was signed into a law by President Obama, granting the 9/11 first responders health care coverage for the next 75 years.

Obviously, it's important to remember what happened on 9/11. The events of that day will live in infamy, for sure. But as years pass and time moves on, we cannot forget to tell the stories of those we lost, and those who continue to suffer. I, in particular, feel a specific importance in remembering to carry on these stories. The students who are in high school now were only a few years old when 9/11 happened, making my generation, the college-aged group or the last generation to really remember what happened. As stated above, it took me years to fully grasp what had happened that day, but now I feel a duty and an honor to pass these stories through generations. Supporting issues such as the Zadroga Act are just a small token of our appreciation that we can do to repay those who gave their all, and as a young, informed, self-proclaimed citizen of the world, I'll make sure my colleagues, friends, co-workers, family, teachers, and even strangers know about these important issues.

If you or someone you know thinks they're experiencing a 9/11 related illness, visit http://www.vcf.gov/index.html.