A Son’s Mission

As we witnessed the tragedy of Cesar Borja Sr. unfold over the past several weeks, our hearts went out to his family and especially to his son, Ceasar Borja Jr.
A retired New York Police Department officer, Borja Sr. spent 16-hour days amid the smoldering rubble of the Twin Towers at Ground Zero. He volunteered his time, his health and finally his life to help search for survivors and then for remains of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack that stunned the world.
As Borja Sr., 52, lay dying with a painful lung disease - pulmonary fibrosis - his son traveled to Washington D.C. to be in the gallery during President Bush’s State of the Union speech. Borja Jr. was there to put a face on the issue of benefits including funding for medical bills and financial support for the families of Ground Zero first responders and volunteer workers who are now battling health issues.
The senior Borja died just hours before the speech and Borja Jr.’s mission became clearer and more focused.
We watched the images of Borja’s family as they were consoled by the hundreds of neighbors, fellow police officers and politicians at the fallen hero’s wake in Bayside. Borja Sr.’s funeral was a hero’s funeral befitting the sacrifice he made for his country. A sea of blue uniforms, a flag-draped coffin and grieving relatives; his funeral made the nation cry.
We wept with them. We cried as Ceasar, 21, his mother, Eva, brother, Evan, 16, and sister, Nhia, 12, followed their husband and father down the church steps and to his final resting place.
We applaud Borja Jr.’s courage and stoicism during this tragic time and his rise to the national spotlight as he continues to fight to convince President Bush to put $1.9 billion in the budget to monitor and treat the ailing 9/11 workers.
Bush stood atop the rubble in the days after 9/11 and calmed a fearful nation with promises of a war against the terrorists responsible for the death and destruction on our soil.
We believe it is time for Bush to stand up again - and do the right thing.
He must honor the memory of the heroic actions of all the Ground Zero workers and volunteers and provide the funding for their care if they fall ill and medical treatment for those who may become sick in the future.
We implore you, our readers, to send a short message of support for Ceasar Borja Jr.’s mission and help him keep his promise to his Dad. Tell President Bush at Comments@whitehouse.gov that you want him to provide adequate funding.
Ceasar, your Dad is proud of you, and so are we.