Three 9/11 victims identified thanks to DNA advances

DNA technology reexamines World Trade Center remains to identify three victims as techniques improve.

DNA advances identify three 9/11 victims after twenty years

New York City officials say the remains of three World Trade Center victims have been identified thanks to advances in DNA testing. The identified are Ryan D. Fitzgerald, 26, a currency trader; Barbara A Keating, 72, a retired nonprofit executive; and a third woman whose name will remain private at her family’s request. The remains were recovered in 2001 and 2002, during the early cleanup of the site. Chief medical examiner Dr Jason Graham called the identifications a testament to science and to the families who have waited for years.

The update comes as the medical examiner’s office continues to retest fragments with newer genetic techniques. Keating was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when the hijacking led to the attack on the North Tower. Officials say the broader effort has identified more remains over the past two decades, but roughly 1,100 victims still remain unidentified. In this case, a link to relatives was strengthened by a hairbrush sample, which helped confirm the match that toxicology and other fragments alone could not provide. Mayor Eric Adams stressed that the city remains committed to supporting families and sustaining this mission.

Forensic science is evolving faster than grief. Each new identification shows how long stored material can yield names, offering closure while also reopening old memories for families and communities. The process also reflects a public commitment to reverence and transparency, even as the city moves forward. This work depends on steady funding, technical expertise, and careful handling of sensitive family information, which can influence public trust in the system.

Highlights

The city’s memory lives in the patient work of science and the voices of those left behind.