My name is Craig Sotkovsky. Twenty-five years ago, I volunteered at Ground Zero in the days following the September 11 attacks. Years later, I was diagnosed with 9/11-related lung cancer. While I've beaten cancer, I continue to live with multiple certified 9/11-related health conditions, mounting medical expenses, and the ongoing fight to access the care promised to responders.

Rather than letting these challenges define me, I created Gro-Win Through Pain, a project dedicated to preserving the stories of first responders, recovery workers, survivors, veterans, and caregivers whose lives were forever changed by 9/11.

I'll travel from Atlanta to West Palm Beach before returning to New York for the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Along the way, I'll interview first responders and others impacted by the attacks, document the long-term challenges they continue to face, and advocate for legislative changes so the heroes of 9/11 aren't priced out of the healthcare they were promised.

Although I receive care through the World Trade Center Health Program, comprehensive treatment still requires private health insurance costing nearly $3900 per month, a burden that many responders simply cannot afford. By sharing these stories, I hope to help raise awareness and inspire meaningful change.

Your support will help fund:

Travel, fuel, and lodging

Filming equipment and production

Insurance and project expenses

Community outreach along the journey

If you believe those who answered the call shouldn't have to fight alone decades later, please consider donating. If you can't donate today, sharing this fundraiser with your family, friends, and social networks is another powerful way to help.

Thank you for helping keep these stories, and the people behind them, alive.

Craig Sotkovsky

9/11 Ground Zero Responder | 9/11-Related Lung Cancer Survivor

My story has been featured by FOX 5 Atlanta, Law Enforcement Talk Radio