Home / Health / 9/11 Hero Needs Kidney Transplant Years Later
9/11 Hero Needs Kidney Transplant Years Later
12 Sep
Summary
- Security guard Dereck Lovell saved six lives on 9/11.
- Lovell is now battling kidney cancer and needs a transplant.
- A survivor is raising awareness for Lovell's urgent need.
On September 11, 2001, security guard Dereck Lovell became a beacon of hope for six individuals trapped in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Lovell, filling in on an unfamiliar floor, guided the group through smoke and debris to a functioning staircase, a critical act that ensured their escape minutes before the building's collapse.
Among those he saved was Doug Brown, an associate national sales director. Brown recalled Lovell's voice cutting through the disorienting conditions, leading them to a stairwell they never knew existed. Lovell didn't stop there, also aiding three more employees before beginning his own descent.
Lovell, now 68, previously battled prostate cancer, which he linked to 9/11 toxins. Last September, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. In 2026, both of his kidneys were removed, and he now relies on dialysis three times weekly while awaiting a kidney transplant. He is listed as a candidate with SUNY Downstate and NYU Langone.
Brown and the individuals Lovell saved have remained in contact for nearly 25 years. As the 25th anniversary of the attacks approaches, Brown is spearheading efforts to raise awareness of Lovell's urgent need for a kidney donor, hoping to repay the life-saving kindness he received.
