Twenty-three years after the attacks on September 11, 2001, we're still at war. But this isn't the war you see in the headlines. It's not fought in far-off deserts or mountain ranges. It's happening right here, in our own backyard, in hospital rooms and doctors' offices across America.

Our first responders, the ones who ran toward danger when the towers fell, are now fighting a different kind of battle. They're up against an enemy they can't see - one born from the very dust and debris they breathed in while saving lives at Ground Zero.

This is a war against cancer, against respiratory diseases, against a host of health problems that have their roots in that terrible day. It's a war that's claimed too many of our protectors already and one that thousands more are still fighting every single day.

As we approach yet another anniversary of that terrible day, it's crucial that we not only remember the immediate tragedy but also recognize the ongoing battle many of our heroes continue to fight. Countless first responders have already been lost to 9/11-related illnesses, and thousands more are still fighting. These brave men and women didn't hesitate to put their lives on the line for their fellow Americans, and now, years later, many are paying a steep price for their courage.

I want to tell you about one of their stories - a........

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