New York’s Cardinal Egan, hero of 9/11, dies at the age of 82

Cardinal Edward Egan, who retired as Archbishop of New York in 2009, has died of a heart attack aged 82.

His successor, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, told Catholics of the archdiocese: “Join me, please, in thanking God for his life, especially his generous and faithful priesthood.” Cardinal Egan will be best remembered for ministering to victims of the 9/11 terror attacks, even at risk to his own health. The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, praised the cardinal for helping New Yorkers “grieve and recover”.

Egan was appointed Archbishop of New York in 2000, and made a cardinal in February 2001 at the same time as Jorge Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis.