Dr. Emil Chynn, a physician who served as the first doctor at Ground Zero, is releasing a collection of unpublished personal photographs taken during the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The release marks the 25th anniversary of the disaster.
Chynn had previously responded to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing before setting up a makeshift triage station downtown on September 11, 2001. During his medical response efforts, he captured images of rescue workers, disaster aftermath, and emergency treatments in the wreckage.
“Twenty-five years later, I still remember the faces, the chaos, and the extraordinary courage of the people who ran toward the destruction to help others,” Chynn said. He noted that he later developed asthma as a direct result of his service at the site.
The photograph collection documents scenes including rescue workers between shifts, dawn over the ruins, and patients receiving eye treatments amid the destruction. “I still remember everything, and we must continue to tell their stories — not only today, on the 25th anniversary, but for generations to come,” Chynn added.
Following his work at Ground Zero, Chynn founded a program in 2014 through his practice, Park Avenue LASEK, offering vision-correction assistance to eligible first responders. He currently serves as the medical director for the New York City practice, specializing in refractive and corneal surgery.
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