Volunteer NY firefighter honored with 9/11 medal

[September 08, 2009]  JERICHO, N.Y. (AP) -- A volunteer firefighter who died helping to rescue people from the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has been awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor.

Lawmakers presented Glenn Winuk's relatives with the medal Monday in his Long Island hometown.

Winuk was a 40-year-old lawyer and longtime volunteer Jericho firefighter who raced from his Manhattan office into the trade center. He died when the south tower collapsed.

The Justice Department initially didn't recognize Winuk as having died in the line of duty because he hadn't been on regular duty since 1998. The agency dropped its objections in January 2008, making him eligible for the medal and a $250,000 death benefit.

The award was given to the relatives of 442 other public safety officers killed in the terror attacks.

[Associated Press]

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