'We never recovered him': Quest to identify remains from Ground Zero continues

What the report says

For 25 years after the September 11 attacks, Juliette Scauso has had only one physical reminder of her father, FDNY firefighter Dennis Scauso: his damaged helmet. BBC World News reports that he is among more than 1,000 people killed in New York who have still not been formally identified, even as city officials continue to search Ground Zero remains for clues.

The New York City medical examiner’s office says it has identified 1,495 victims since 9/11, using a mix of older methods such as fingerprints and dental records, and later DNA analysis. Last month, officials announced another identification using forensic investigative genetic genealogy, or FIGG, a newer technique that can link remains to more distant relatives through whole-genome sequencing. The city says the approach offers fresh hope for families still waiting for answers.

BBC World News says the work remains difficult because many remains were badly damaged by the impact and fires, and because some first responders were wearing gear that did not belong to them. The remains recovered from the World Trade Center were preserved for future testing, allowing investigators to revisit samples as technology improves. Officials say they still receive regular calls from relatives, and while some families want closure, others fear reopening old grief.

The continuing identifications matter both for forensic progress and for families’ emotional closure, but officials acknowledge that not every victim may ever be found. The medical examiner’s office says it will keep searching as long as families are seeking answers.