By Rachel Engel
FireRescue1
WASHINGTON — A former firefighter who responded to the terrorist attacks at Ground Zero on 9/11 will be in attendance at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night, Forbes reported.
Michael Weinstock, who suffers from a neurological condition due to inhaling pollutants after the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, accepted an invitation from Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) to attend the speech. He hopes to raise awareness about the continued healthcare needs of emergency responders to the 2001 attacks.
Meanwhile, Santos has been accused of fabricating a story about his mother, who he claims was “in her office in the South Tower on September 11” and survived, before dying of cancer a few years later. However, information obtained by the Washington Post reportedly indicates Santos’ mother has not been in the U.S. since 1999.
Read next:
Light through the darkness: Lessons from a 9/11 survivor
Port Authority Officer Will Jimeno, who was trapped in the World Trade Center rubble, shares what he has learned from his recovery post-9/11