John Christopher Ryan
Agency patch
Detective

John Christopher Ryan

End of Watch May 19, 2017
Age 65
Tour of Duty 42 yrs
Badge 4111
Gender Male

Incident

Detective John Ryan 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.

Detective Ryan had served with the New York City Police Department for 40 years.

September 11, 2001 - The Years After

Detective John Christopher Ryan was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 50 years old that fall.

He died on May 19, 2017 - 15 years and 8 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 65.

He is one of 600 officers honored here, and one of 451 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 daughter, son, girlfriend, and three grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtr0dybfc8tfat95a35yd
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 26, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. Claim this record.

Also honored at requiem.nw. One record, 2 gates. John is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Detective Ryan gave 42 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Ryan.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 19, 2017
Tour of Duty 42 yrs
Age 65
Badge Number 4111
Gender Male
Assignment 66 Squad

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail 9/11 related illness
Weapon Aircraft; Passenger jet

The Sacrifice · Illness

John is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

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.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 65. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. John had served 42 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 6.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Fridays: 14.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause. The weapon recorded was aircraft; passenger jet, in 29.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective John Christopher Ryan

New York City Police Department · End of Watch May 19, 2017

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 26-E

Also Remembered

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial — requiem.nw →

↑