FDNY Deputy Chief James Riches: A Father's 6-Month Search at Ground Zero and Legacy of 9/11 Advocacy

Dec 14, 2025 04:11 pm CST

James "Jim" Riches, a retired FDNY deputy chief who tirelessly searched Ground Zero for his son after the September 11 attacks and spent decades advocating for sick first responders, has died from a 9/11-related illness at age 74. His story represents the ongoing toll of the attacks, as he joins more than 400 FDNY members who have succumbed to illnesses linked to toxic exposure at the World Trade Center site.