For over a decade, three sons of one of the 9/11 victims lived in poverty, unaware of the fact that there was $1 million with their names on it due to them in victim compensation money.
Ty-Shawn Ward, Trent Ward and Dujon Holland lost their father, John Holland, in the September 11th attacks but never even knew that they were entitled to money from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
Although the funds were approved for disbursal in 2004, there was an oversight in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court that led to the money not being given. Furthermore, in 2005, their court-appointed guardian Linda Sosnowitz asked the money to be set aside to pay for the boys’ education, but that never happened either.
It was not until 2013, when Queens lawyer Salvatore Diliberto dug up the money from its place in a pool of $12 billion in unclaimed funds, that the boys knew about the windfall.
“These were three young men living in public housing that could’ve certainly used the money,” Diliberto said. He went on the criticize the courts for never even telling the boys the money existed.
“If you can’t find three guys, then you probably can’t find the five fingers on your right hand,” Diliberto said.
The funds were released to the three sons earlier this year.