Michael J. Hance
Incident
Police Officer Michael Hance died as the result of cancer that he developed following his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.
Officer Hance served with the New York City Police Department for 17 years and was assigned to the 111th Precinct.
September 11, 2001 - The Years After
Police Officer Michael J. Hance was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 29 years old that fall.
He died on March 12, 2017 - 15 years and 6 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 44.
He is one of 599 officers honored here, and one of 450 at New York City Police Department.
The most recent of these deaths was October 24, 2025.
Officers who worked the search, rescue, and recovery at the World Trade Center site breathed contaminated air for weeks and months afterward. Many developed cancers and respiratory disease, and they have gone on dying of it ever since.
Seventy-two officers were killed on the morning itself. Hundreds more have died in the years that followed. They are honored here together, because the same attack killed them all. With some it simply took longer.
Survivors
He is survived by his two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
NW-XY3W-5K7J-5earlier record number BO-US-NY-92C2D8D0- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Michael. Claim this record.
Also honored at requiem.nw. One record, 2 gates. Michael is one person.
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Tributes
You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Police Officer Hance gave the New York City Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Hance.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Illness
New York City Police Department has lost 1,216 officers; 520 of them lost to illness.
Michael is one of 628 officers lost to illness in NY, 29.5% of the 2,126 remembered there.
Michael is one of 2,026 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,543 remembered there.
Michael is one of 2,978 officers lost to illness worldwide, 8.8% of the 33,910 remembered here.
33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2017, 37 officers at New York City Police Department were lost to illness, the 4th heaviest of 32 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 52.
In 2017, 44 officers in NY were lost to illness, the 3rd heaviest of 41 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 65.
In 2017, 52 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 8th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.
In 2017, 56 officers worldwide were lost to illness, the 8th heaviest of 197 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 566.
Who
Michael was 44. Of the 507 lost to illness at New York City Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 48 and 60; the middle age was 55. Michael had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Michael was 44. Of the 613 lost to illness in NY whose age is recorded, half were between 49 and 61; the middle age was 55. Michael had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Michael was 44. Of the 1,994 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Michael had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Michael was 44. Of the 2,915 lost to illness worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 56; the middle age was 49. Michael had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
When
March holds 9.2% of these deaths at New York City Police Department; October holds the most, 15%. Sundays: 15%.
March holds 8.8% of these deaths in NY; October holds the most, 14%. Sundays: 15%.
March holds 5.8% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 15%. Sundays: 14.1%.
March holds 6.2% of these deaths worldwide; October holds the most, 12.6%. Sundays: 13.2%.
How
Illness deaths account for 42.8% of all 1,216 deaths at New York City Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was aircraft; passenger jet, in 86.2% of these deaths.
Illness deaths account for 29.5% of all 2,126 deaths in NY, the 3rd most common cause. The weapon recorded was aircraft; passenger jet, in 83.8% of these deaths.
Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause. The weapon recorded was aircraft; passenger jet, in 29.5% of these deaths.
Illness deaths account for 8.8% of all 33,910 deaths worldwide, the 3rd most common cause. The weapon recorded was aircraft; passenger jet, in 20.1% of these deaths.
His people
New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Michael among them.
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John J. Sherman Sep 1, 1891
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Robert Nichol May 1, 1892
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John J. Carey Nov 3, 1892
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Thomas Gleason Sep 5, 1893
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John T. Delehanty Sep 25, 1895
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John F. Haughney Aug 10, 1896
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William M. Lynam Aug 11, 1896
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Edward M. Tein Aug 11, 1896
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Michael E. Keating
Aug 12, 1896
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James J. Rogers Aug 15, 1896
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George Meehan Aug 20, 1896
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Thomas R. McIntyre Sep 23, 1896
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Oscar Reinhardt Apr 24, 1897
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Frederick Smith Oct 26, 1897
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Simon McDonnell Dec 7, 1897
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Frederick H. Lincoln Jan 18, 1898
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August Schneider Aug 26, 1898
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Henry Buschmann Oct 8, 1898
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Thomas Meagher Apr 27, 1899
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Robert J. Thorpe Aug 13, 1900
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Charles L. Horn Oct 8, 1900
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William Baumeister
Nov 30, 1900
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Thomas J. Fitzpatrick Jan 31, 1901
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Edward J. Mullen
Jan 31, 1901
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John E. Hoey
Oct 4, 1901
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John J. Sheridan
Jul 16, 1902
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Dennis Shea Nov 4, 1902
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John T. Collins Jan 19, 1903
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Frank J. Redican Dec 6, 1903
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Peter MacDonald Feb 12, 1904
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Francis P. Crowe Mar 8, 1904
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Hugh J. Enright Mar 20, 1904
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Charles J. Cameron
Jul 17, 1904
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James D. O'Connell Sep 14, 1904
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Patrick K. Cushing
Oct 28, 1904
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John Kavanaugh Nov 10, 1904
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James W. Devens Nov 25, 1904
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Charles Matthews Dec 12, 1904
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Ira D. Kinne Jan 17, 1905
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John Eagan Jan 30, 1905
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George M. Yeager Jul 3, 1905
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William J. Hedeman
Jul 29, 1906
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George Drake Misick
Nov 3, 1906
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Thomas F. Gallagher Feb 8, 1907
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George M. Sechler
Apr 14, 1907
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Alfred A. Selleck Apr 16, 1907
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Eugene M. Sheehan Oct 22, 1907
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Edward J. Kavanagh Nov 14, 1907
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Robert J. Fitzgerald
Jan 11, 1908
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John J. Rhatigan
Jan 22, 1908
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John Loughman Jan 27, 1908
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John Bresnahan
Apr 8, 1908
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Charles A. Berberich Nov 15, 1908
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John B. Goldhammer
Feb 19, 1909
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Thomas Smith Feb 27, 1909
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Giuseppe Petrosino
Mar 12, 1909
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Artemus L. Fish
May 18, 1909
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John W. McCormick
Jul 9, 1910
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James J. Mangan
Oct 26, 1910
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Michael Lynch
Jul 1, 1911
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William H. Galbraith
Nov 8, 1911
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Thomas E. O'Connell
Jun 17, 1912
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Peter Fitzsimons Nov 1, 1912
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William B. Heaney
May 3, 1913
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Eugene Burns May 3, 1913
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Charles B. Teare
May 4, 1913
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Bernard O'Rourke
Aug 1, 1913
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Patrick Cotter
Aug 4, 1913
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Joseph H. McNierney
Oct 3, 1913
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Daniel Gibbons
Dec 19, 1913
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Edward Murtha
Feb 6, 1914
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Thomas Wynn
Mar 31, 1914
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Joseph Guarnieri
Apr 2, 1914
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Michael Kiley
May 4, 1914
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John Mee
Jul 15, 1914
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John E. Hodgins Oct 7, 1914
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Edmond Lehane Dec 15, 1914
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Rush A. Webster
Jun 20, 1915
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George Dapping
Sep 24, 1915
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Joseph M. Gaffney
Jan 11, 1916
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William McAuliffe
Mar 18, 1916
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Henry H. Schwarz
May 30, 1916
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Bryan L. O'Donnell
Jun 11, 1916
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Thomas F. J. O'Grady
Aug 24, 1916
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Hugh McKiernan
Dec 5, 1916
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Ralph E. Boyland Feb 21, 1917
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DeForest Fredenburg Mar 10, 1917
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John Lober
Mar 10, 1917
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Richard Swanton Mar 16, 1917
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Thomas H. Beresford
May 21, 1917
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Samuel T. Cunningham Jun 19, 1917
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John P. Flood
Jul 3, 1917
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Robert H. Holmes
Aug 6, 1917
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John J. Regan Aug 8, 1917
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Samuel Rosenfeld
Feb 13, 1918
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John J. Quinn Feb 16, 1918
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Joseph A. Nolan Jun 26, 1918
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William Barrett Aug 26, 1918
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Thomas A. Herbert
Aug 30, 1918
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Charles L. Bender Oct 1, 1918
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Andrew M. Mullen
Oct 3, 1918
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William W. Lewis Oct 4, 1918
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John Robert Vogel
Oct 7, 1918
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Edward Christian Devenport Oct 7, 1918
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Daniel Joseph McCormick Oct 7, 1918
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George Newton Relyea
Oct 10, 1918
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James Joseph Killen Oct 10, 1918
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Thomas O'Connell
Oct 10, 1918
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John F. O'Hara Oct 10, 1918
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John J. Gargan Oct 12, 1918
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Cornelius Cuttrell
Oct 13, 1918
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Lawrence Hennessey
Oct 13, 1918
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John Julius Fisher
Oct 14, 1918
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Abraham Blumenthal Oct 16, 1918
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Carl Wuestenhoefer
Oct 16, 1918
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Daniel A. McAllister
Oct 18, 1918
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John W. Price Oct 18, 1918
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Michael J. Morgan Oct 18, 1918
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Arthur Schultz Oct 18, 1918
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Giovanni B. Grieco Oct 19, 1918
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 25-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial — requiem.nw →
Others Who Wore This Badge
1,216 officers from New York City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.















