City, Doubtful of 9/11-Related Cause Of Death, Takes Cop's Corpse Before Funeral

A grieving family saying good-bye to police officer who passed away last week got a rude awakening when the city decided to take his corpse during memorial services. Howard Wong told the Post that 10 minutes before his brother George's wake, "The Medical Examiner called us and said they need to reclaim the body. The Health Department had issues with the wording on the cause of death—that he died from exposure to 9/11 toxins—and they ordered the Medical Examiner's Office to do it over."

Police officer George Wong, who had been on the NYPD for 20 years and retired in 2006, lost his two year battle with gastric cancer. However, the Post says he "always believed his disease was caused by his time at Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks. His hospice doctor, Lyla Correoso, agreed, writing 'cancer' from '9/11 toxic exposure' on his death certificate." But that didn't sit well with the city. Here's how the Daily News describes the city's response:

A wake was planned for 3 p.m. Monday at the funeral home on Mulberry St.

But at 2:45 p.m., while the grief-stricken Wong family was inside, the funeral home received frantic calls from the Medical Examiner's office demanding they return the body to the morgue.

The city apparently disputed the wording on the death certificate.

The family was flabbergasted. The funeral home refused, ordering the ME's office to get the body themselves - after the Wong family's service was over.

Officials removed the body from the funeral home at 10 p.m. Monday, forcing the Wongs to postpone the funeral service scheduled for Tuesday.

The medical examiner's office only released the body back to the funeral home after scrubbing any mention of 9/11 from the death certificate.

The Wongs were so upset they refused to allow an autopsy. A police source lamented to the Post, "It's reprehensible. You don't give the body back to the morgue. Even perps don't deserve this. It's about being a human being. Everyone is livid over this."

The city has been fighting claims about illness related to 9/11 exposure for years until a deal was made last year—and this is not the first time the city has doubted someone died from exposure to working at Ground Zero.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on March 30, 2011 7:05 PM

Comments [rss]

David Howard

9/11 Cancers -- heat generation at ground zero for six months (china syndrome) ... radioactive mini-nuke fragments.

Google "9/11 Cancers"
http://wtc-chinasyndrome.blogs...

Guest

Next time you think a cop is an asshole or is acting like one, remember this story. Because if they think nothing of stealing their corpses from a funeral home, imagine what they make their work conditions like for the living.

Unkle_Bob

Of course they took the body before the funeral - once the funeral happens, he's buried, yes?

TakeThePledge

It's disgusting how they treat this HERO.

tfab

Not to defend the ME, because reclaiming the body was probably unnecessary, but the fault really lies with the hospice doctor. MDs can only sign death certificates when the cause of death is a "natural" one. By implying the death was due to 9/11, she basically was calling the death a homicide, which means the ME had no choice but to get involved. That being said, they probably should have just had her amend the death certificate and not actually reclaimed the body. However, if she had just written cancer as the cause of death in the first place, this never would have happened.

thinprep

Imagine the outrage if they did this to dead white or black cop? No one cares if asians are disrespected.

best dedicated hosting

that's true mark its an insult to the rest of us

Mark B

The asses responsible for this no longer deserve to call themselves 'human beings', it's an insult to the rest of us. I think even Manson would agree.....

WetButt

What a complete disgrace. Imagine if the ME wanted to take a member of Bloomturd or Kellys family back

spiv

The only thing more reprehensible than this, is Bloompolean's response. Cold, vile, little little man - when will be rid of him so we can desecrate his corpse?

justthinkin

So now the city has resorted to grave-robbing to limit their post-911 liability. George Romero has nothing on Bloomberg.

Bernie_Geotz_Squirrel_Luv

When will people wake up? Bloombag and kelly are not on your side, they're only on the side of the rich. See how they treated this police officer.

Petey

I read the article. Makes me sick that the city says that its their official policy that no one is dying from ANY 9/11 related illnesses. Otherwise healthy people start getting sick, and dropping dead from rare cancers.

S.D.

Sadly, not so rare, worldwide 800,000 people die of it globally.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...

(Lung Canceer causes 1.3 Million deaths anually)

Regarding taking his body: The City really F____d up big time here...