Former Hensel Phelps Employee Recounts 9/11 Pentagon Recovery Efforts and Lasting Health Impacts
Robert 'Bob' Simpson, a Grand Lake resident and former employee of Hensel Phelps, has shared his experiences and the long-term health consequences stemming from his involvement in the recovery efforts following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Simpson initially drove 21 hours from Denver to New York City to volunteer at Ground Zero, where he participated in the 'bucket brigade' to clear rubble and search for survivors. After nearly seven days at Ground Zero, his company, Hensel Phelps, which had a federal contract for blast wall construction at the Pentagon, instructed him to fly to the Pentagon. There, he was assigned to a special team tasked with recovering computer hard drives from the crash site. Simpson spent over 30 days at the Pentagon, helping to secure the building. His time at both sites led to significant physical and mental health issues, including multiple surgeries on his right arm, chronic inflammation, a blood infection, severe mobility limitations, permanent eye floaters, knee su...
