9/11 related asthma has claimed the life of another NYFD firefighter who worked the pile at ground zero following the September 11, 2001 attack. Raymond “Gonzo” Phillips who lived in Washingtonville, NY, developed asthma from time spent working with FDNY Rescue 3 at the World Trade Center attack site. Phillips and his squad were performing search and recovery efforts at ground zero after the towers fell.
Phillips, who worked with NYPD before becoming a firefighter in 1977, spent the majority of his firefighting career with Rescue 3 in Claremont. Ray Phillips was an active community member who had dressed as Santa Claus for FDNY Widows & Children for more than 30 years. He had been chosen Uniformed Firefighters Association Man of the Year for 2017 and was a survivor of the World Trade Center attack.
Ray suffered a heart attack following a severe asthma attack on January 27, 2018. He passed away at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, NY. Ray Phillips was 64. He is survived by his wife, two sons, daughter, brother, nieces and nephews.
If you have a diagnosis of asthma from exposure to the dust and debris while living, working or going to school near the World Trade Center following the September 11 terror attacks, click here to see if you're eligible for the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.
Read more:
http://www.recordonline.com/article/20180130/obituaries/301309994
