Luis Alvarez, Long-Time Advocate of 9/11 Responders, Dies at 53

(Bloomberg) -- Luis Alvarez, a former New York City detective who advocated for health benefits to first responders to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, died on Saturday, according to the New York Times. He was 53.

His family announced his death in a post on Facebook. The cause was complications of colorectal cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2016.

The disease was linked to the three months he spent at the site of the toppled World Trade Center, the report said. He spent most of that time searching for survivors and for remains of his fellow officers amid the toxic rubble.

He appeared before Congress earlier this month with comedian Jon Stewart.

To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew G. Miller in New York at mmiller144@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Ludden at jludden@bloomberg.net, Ian Fisher, Steve Geimann

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