Dorothy Morgan: Hempstead woman identified as victim of 9/11 attacks after 20 years
With a few days left to go before the 20th anniversary of the harrowing 9/11 attacks, newer victims are still being identified. As recently as Tuesday, September 7, two people - one identified as Dorothy Morgan of Hempstead, New York, and another individual whose identity has been withheld at the request of his family were dubbed the 1,646th and 1,647th victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, revealed the New York City chief medical examiner's office.
News of this comes amidst a devastating Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, which has unleashed severe criticism directed at President Joe Biden and the entire Biden administration for the disastrous exit of American troops from the nation. The terror attack on the World Trace Center towers was also executed by the insurgent group and claimed the lives of 2,753 people in total with many yet to be identified. The medical examiner's office is using DNA analysis of unidentified remains from the disaster as New York prepares to embrace the milestone anniversary.
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Who is Dorothy Morgan?
The woman's identity was confirmed through DNA testing of remains recovered in 2001 after the attack on the twin towers. She was reportedly 47 years old and worked in the North Tower for Marsh McLennan as an insurance broker when the two planes crashed into the buildings. Today, Dorothy is the first new identification of World Trade Center victims since October 2019.
Speaking to NBC New York, Dorothy's daughter Nykiah opened up about how the day September 11 is blacklisted on her calendar. "For me, it was September 10 and 12. That's it," she said, elaborating: "I close doors. Turn off phones. Turn off TV, everything." Nykiah was informed of her mother's remains being identitied by two detectives who showed up at her Long Island home to break the news to her, reports New York Times. So far, she had been holding on to the very narrow sliver of hope that her mother was still living somewhere but with no recollection of her past life after the traumatic events of 9/11. With the DNA identification, Nykiah has to confront the painful confirmation of her mother's death. But the devoted daughter has been paying her respects on the attack's anniversary every year, on her Instagram account @n2mac.
'It was a shock'
"When they told me that there were remains found, it was a shock. I think I just… that's the only thing I can say, it was just shocking," Nykiah told NBC. "It's like you're living it all over again." Although she knew Dorothy was long gone, a part of Nykiah always wondered, "Maybe she had amnesia. Maybe she's out living a whole different life and she's happy," she said. This year however, she'll have to collect her mother's remains, unable to hide from the anniversary for the first time in 20 years. But Nykiah has other plans; instead of hiding like every year, she'll be sharing and remembering her mother's beautiful memory, she told the outlet.
As the anniversary draws closer, Dr Barbara Sampson, New York City's chief medical examiner, also said in a statement: "Twenty years ago, we made a promise to the families of World Trade Center victims to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to identify their loved ones, and with these two new identifications, we continue to fulfill that sacred obligation. No matter how much time passes since September 11, 2001, we will never forget, and we pledge to use all the tools at our disposal to make sure all those who were lost can be reunited with their families.”