Location: New York
Incident Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Weapon: Aircraft; Passenger jet
Offender: 19 suicide attackers
Special Agent Bill Sheldon died as the result of cancer he developed as a direct result of participating in rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.
Agent Sheldon assisted with directing people away from the towers on the day of the attack. He was then exposed to toxic debris while assisting with the search and recovery efforts at Ground Zero in the weeks following the attack. He and two other members of his 5-person ATF team were eventually diagnosed with cancer that was determined to be a result of their exposure to the toxic debris.
His health continued to deteriorate until he passed away on March 2nd, 2015.
Special Agent Sheldon was a U.S. Army combat veteran and had served with ATF for 22 years.
You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Special Agent Sheldon gave the United States Department of Justice 22 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Sheldon.
S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Survived by
He is survived by his wife and two young children.