Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Donald O'Leary died from illnesses he contracted while inhaling toxic materials as he participated in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Sergeant O'Leary had served with the New York City Police Department for 21 years and was assigned to Transit District 11.
Sergeant O'Leary had served with the New York City Police Department for 21 years and was assigned to Transit District 11.
September 11, 2001 - The Years After
Sergeant Donald J. O'Leary, Jr. was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 36 years old that fall.
He died on March 26, 2014 - 12 years and 6 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 48.
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 wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-4843F11E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Sergeant O'Leary gave the New York City Police Department 21 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant O'Leary.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Donald J. O'Leary, Jr. is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 629 of 2,147 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 29.3% of this state's fallen. That is 20.2 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At New York City Police Department, 521 of 1237 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 42.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald J. O'Leary, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Donald J. O'Leary, Jr. Compares
Offender Outcome
19 Suicide attackers
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Donald J. O'Leary, Jr. is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1,236 officers from New York City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
