More than 20 years after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the remains of a Long Island man killed in that terrorist attack have been identified, finally bringing closure to his family.
John Ballantine Niven was a 44-year-old executive at the insurance firm Aon Risk Services who resided both on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and his hometown of Oyster Bay.
Aon Risk Services was located on the 105th floor of tower two of the trade center complex, according to obituaries published in 2001.
Ellen Niven, John’s wife, said Thursday that she and their son Jack, who was just 18 months old when his father died, are grateful for the “extraordinary efforts” of city officials continuing the difficult task of identifying victims’ remains.
“It is certainly emotional for me, and I’m sure many others, to hear many years later that DNA has been found,” she wrote in an email to The Associated Press. “It’s a real tribute to the City of New York and the teams working behind the scenes all these years to honor that mantra ‘Never Forget.’ My son and I are so appreciative of this tremendous endeavor.”
Niven is the 1,650th victim to be identified from the tragedy that occurred at the Twin Towers, killing 2,753 people.
“While the pain from the enormous losses on September 11th never leaves us, the possibility of new identifications can offer solace to the families of victims,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “I’m grateful for the ongoing work from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner that honors the memory of John Ballantine Niven and all those we lost.”
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham added that it is the office’s “solemn promise” to “find answers for families using the latest advances in science.”
“We will forever remember our heroes who perished on 9/11 and we appreciate the continuous efforts of forensic experts to help identify victims,” Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a statement. “We’re hopeful that this amazing advance in technology helps bring peace to Mr. Niven’s family and allows him to eternally rest in peace.”
Just over 1,100 victims who died in the World Trade Center attack have yet to have their remains identified, as few full bodies were recovered when the giant towers collapsed.
With new technology, especially in the field of DNA testing, efforts are ongoing and there is hope that the more than 21,900 remains of individual victims will eventually be identified.
