as we pay tribute to the lives taken on September 11th we're reminded that many Heroes emerged after the attacks too among them medical workers at the World Trade Center health program at ruter one of just six nationally that serve 911 First Responders and survivors senior correspondent Joanna Gagis has the inspiring story of the doctor who leads the Rutgers team and one of the many survivors who say their lives have been touched when the now North Tower collapsed I happened to be by the Winter Garden Atrium by the North Cove Marina fireman's radio was going off and it said may may I'm trapped may may I'm trapped uh I looked at the uh the fireman I was in a suit he was in a fullblown out Scott pack and had a Halligan tool uh we penetrated the uh Winter Garden atrim and um found two EMS workers and a woman on a backboard that was you know pretty banged up while most people were running away Michael viani a secret service agent at the time ran toward the danger on September 11th 2001 he and the firemen he assisted were able to save those trapped people just after both World Trade Center towers had fallen it was during that rescue mission that he sustained severe injuries I guess you'd call it a rupture of my cervical spine um and um from there I Tor two torn rotator cuffs left and right as a federal worker he received Medical Care immediately through the Department of Labor but in 2008 he came across the World Trade Center health program at Rutgers University and says the care he's received since then has been lifechanging Dr. Iris Udasin and her team they're Heroes I mean they have not forgotten First Responders the World Trade Center health program is one of six in the New York metropolitan area serving those who responded that day and those affected in the weeks that followed in total there are some 400,000 people who were exposed to toxins at Ground Zero according to the center we do the best that we can to keep our patients healthy both physical health and mental health as the years have passed the health needs have changed says the program's director Dr. Iris Udasin initially we saw acute problems mainly upper and lower respiratory things like asthma and sinus problems um acutely we saw post-traumatic stress disorder more chronically um developing into sleep apnea gastro esophagal reflux um and now we're seeing a lot more cancer and more complicated mental health problems the program is funded federally through the zadroga act and it allows them to monitor patients like viani over the course of their lives looking for illness that may develop or scheduling additional surgeries as was the case for viani just recently I'm grateful for the program I'm grateful for you know the fact that I think Congress has you know supported this and will continue to support this because they're doing amazing work for people who of course you know there's initial injuries but for some of these people that you know are having longlasting injuries that will go on for many years and sometimes just get forgotten about but people like Dr. Udasin they're not going to forget about it and while memorials are held around the state and Nation remembering the lives lost and the countless acts of Bravery that day today Dr Iris Udasin will be among those recognized she's receiving the service above self award from the federal law enforcement officers Foundation I'm feeling really humbled because I do work really hard I'm grateful that I have something that I can do and in this crazy world I am able to help people I'm so proud of her I mean like I said she's probably one of the greatest people I know uh and I and I know a lot of people um she puts her uh everybody else in front of herself um there's uh she she's she's a she's a hero with a stethoscope a hero whose work will continue for years to come for NJ Spotlight news I'm Joanna Gagis [Music]