Children of 9/11 Victims – Now Adults: Carrying Forward Legacies of Love, Service, and Hope
Two decades after 9/11, the children who lost parents that day are now adults reshaping legacies of grief into lives of service, advocacy, and resilience.
Over two decades have passed since the devastating September 11 attacks. Among the countless lives altered, a unique group of children lost parents in those events and have since grown into adults shaped by grief, resilience, and purpose. Today, they are forging careers, advocating for change, and honoring legacies, sometimes in very public ways.
A Commitment to Service: Cait Leavey’s Healing Path
For Cait Leavey, whose father Lt. Joseph Leavey, a New York City firefighter, died on 9/11, the journey from loss to purpose began early. Raised with values of kindness and service, Cait carried her father’s spirit into adulthood as an AmeriCorps member, educator, and now a mental health counselor specializing in trauma. She supports first responder and military families, and particularly children who have lost parents, helping them feel seen and supported in the same way her father uplifted her.
Cait also organizes the Spirit of 9/12 event annually, inviting children to paint stars for local heroes, using art to spark unity and passing along her father’s legacy through purposeful communal acts.
From Teen Angst to Advocacy: The Quest for Peace and Justice
Another adult voice emerged from the tragedy: Elizabeth Miller, a woman who was only six when her firefighter father died. As she matured into a student of Middle Eastern culture, terrorism, and U.S. policy, she grew increasingly uncomfortable with the post-9/11 response, especially indefinite detentions and justice without transparency.
She joined September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, calling for plea agreements rather than indefinite litigation and torture, as a way to finally bring resolution to 9/11 families. Her activism has included multiple trips to Guantánamo Bay, witnessing stalled military tribunal proceedings, and even a letter to President Biden, urging meaningful progress toward justice.
A Collective Lifeline: Tuesday’s Children and Ongoing Support
Beyond individual stories, collective healing has taken shape through organizations like Tuesday’s Children. Founded just one week after the attacks, this nonprofit offers trauma and grief services, youth and career mentoring, and mental health support to families affected by 9/11, including the children who lost parents.
For many, Tuesday’s Children provided early emotional scaffolding. As these children entered adulthood, transitioning into careers and independent lives, the organization helped them make sense of legacy, grief, and future hope.
Voices of Advocacy: Continuing Family Leadership
While the original focus was on the children of 9/11 victims, it’s also meaningful to acknowledge the broader network of family members who continue to shape public safety policy and memorial governance.
Take Sally Regenhard, who lost her son, a probationary firefighter, in the South Tower collapse. Alongside her daughter, Christina, she co-founded the Skyscraper Safety Campaign, pushing for federal investigations into the collapse and advocating for stronger building and fire codes nationwide.
Similarly, Debra Burlingame—sister of the pilot killed when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon—co-founded Take Back The Memorial and Keep America Safe, actively influencing the design discussion of the 9/11 memorial site and shaping broader political narratives around security and commemoration.
Patterns of Resilience: Enduring Effects on Families
Psychological studies conducted over a decade after the attacks reveal mixed outcomes for bereaved family members. Research tracking families 14 years post-9/11 found varying patterns of mental health; some individuals showed resilience and recovery, while others continued to struggle with anxiety, depression, or other comorbidities.
These studies underscore the long arc of grief, and the importance of sustained emotional and social support well beyond the anniversary dates.
24 Years After 9/11, An Unseen Battle Continues
More people have now died from 9/11-related illnesses than were killed on the day of the attacks.
Twenty-four years have passed since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Yet the repercussions linger, not only in memory but in the daily struggles of survivors, first responders, and the residents of lower Manhattan. Today, more lives have been claimed by related illnesses than on that fateful day itself.
