W000373
Dear Attorney General Ashcroft,
It has come to our attentions that over the next couple of weeks your office will be resolving the final
details to the "September 11th Victim Compensation Fund 2001."
As surviving widows, we are very concerned with the final details of the Compensation Fund, since it
represents a vital source of income necessary to sustain our families over the next 25-30 years.
We are outraged that due to an incredible lacks in security, (on part of the Airlines and the
Government), that 5 commercial airlines were allowed to carry out such an atrocity. How could this
have ever happened?
Morever, we are now being told that in order to qualify for the Victims Compensation Fund, the
surviving families will have to forfeit any rights to further litigation if the end results are not satisfactory.
And if these heinous acts have taken place in the state of New York, why sir would our government
change the compensation formula normally used in the State of New York's wrongful death suits, by
penalizing our families by drastically reducing the amount of compensation by the amount of life
insurance and other forms of "collateral compensation."
As widows of the World Trade Victims, we feel it is important to remind our government that
demographic studies have shown that three quarters of the victims were males, ranging in ages from
36-42 years in age. They were married, with approximately 2-3 children and were the primary source
of income. They worked hard and made sacrifices while striving for the American dream. Most
owned homes and as responsible individuals they bought life insurance policies. Why should these
hardworking individuals, who had to make financial sacrifices in order to pay premiums, why should
their families now be penalized?
How can our government pledge billions of dollars in support to the Airline businesses, Insurance
businesses and even Pakistan and yet forget about the very people who have represented the financial
backbone of this country.
Their working days have ended abruptly, as have the dreams they aspired for. It is now on the
shoulders of the surviving spouses to continue on with the insurmountable task of making life for their
family whole again. And therefore, we will not sign any Fund that does not "fully" compensate the
families of these victims. Nor will we let our voices go unheard any longer.
When we gather as a group, it is simply a room full of pain and fear. We hope that our government will
not turn their back on our situation and insure that ALL the families receive the restitution they are
entitled to.
Comments by Widows of the World Trade Center
Manhasset, NY
Port Washington, NY
Northport, NY
Upper Brookville, NY
Oceanside, NY
New Canaan, CT
New York, NY
Huntington, NY
Wantagh, NY
Garden City, NY