A retired FDNY lieutenant and father of five is the latest first responder to succumb to cancer, contracted during his time working the pile at Ground Zero, authorities said Tuesday.
Lt. Edward (Eddie) McDonagh died Sunday after a three-year battle against stage 4 colon cancer, relatives said. He was 49.
McDonagh is the 20th firefighter to die of a 9/11-related illness this year.
The Rockland County man joined the FDNY in 1996 after serving in the Marines during the Gulf War, relatives said. He was the first of his family to join the FDNY, but firefighting was in his blood, his widow Kimberly McDonagh said.