Gary Smiley

Gary Smiley is a retired rescue paramedic who was dispatched to the World Trade Center as a member of FDNY EMS three minutes after the first plane hit the North Tower. After being trapped in the subsequent collapse, then critically injured and hospitalized for five days, Gary returned to Ground Zero and spent a total of 480 hours assisting with rescue and recovery efforts. He has since been diagnosed with severe sinusitis, asthma, reactive airway disease, and GERD as a result of toxic exposure.

As an advocate for the FealGood Foundation, he has made numerous trips to Washington D.C. to help secure funding for the WTC Health Program and the Victim Compensation Fund.