Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Angel Creagh 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.
Detective Creagh had served with the New York City Police Departmant for 14 years and had to retire in 2012 due to his illness. He was assigned to Narcotics Borough Brooklyn South.
Detective Creagh is survived by his wife and four children.
September 11, 2001 - The Years After
Detective Angel Antonio Creagh was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 39 years old that fall.
He died on January 14, 2014 - 12 years and 4 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 51.
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
Detective Creagh is survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-5227D233- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Angel. Claim this record.
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 Creagh gave the New York City Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Creagh.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Angel Antonio Creagh 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. Angel Antonio Creagh's cause is highlighted.
How Angel Antonio Creagh Compares
Offender Outcome
19 suicide attackers
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Angel Antonio Creagh is highlighted in Jan.
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.
