Karen Batista
Fire Department Network News
January 19, 2011

William Henry Quick, a retired FDNY firefighter, passed away Tuesday, January 18, 2011 after a nine year battle with lung disease that he developed after working at the World Trade Center.

Quick, 55, was a 23-year veteran of the FDNY, serving at Ladder 134 in Far Rockaway, Queens, until January 2003, when his lung disease forced his retirement. According to his wife, Lisa Quick, he was at the Trade Center when both towers collapsed, and he worked there everyday from September 12, 2001 until mid-November of 2001. A knee injury forced him to stop his work at the pile.

In January 2002, he was cleared to return to work at Ladder 134, but shortly thereafter he began to develop several consecutive lung infections and was forced to retire a year later. A picture of health before September 11, 2001, his illness was attributed to the toxic dust at the World Trade Center, according to his family.

Prior to his death, Firefighter Quick was dependent on an oxygen machine 24/7 because his lungs were no longer able to function on their own.

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