Almost 24 years after the September 11, 2001, attacks, three more victims have finally been identified.
In a news release shared with PEOPLE on Thursday, Aug. 7, the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) announced the identities of Ryan Fitzgerald of Floral Park, N.Y., Barbara Keating of Palm Springs, Calif., and an adult woman whose name is being withheld at her family’s request. They are now officially recognized as the 1,651st, 1,652nd, and 1,653rd individuals identified from the tragedy.
The OCME credited advanced DNA analysis and outreach to families for making these identifications possible. Fitzgerald’s remains, recovered in 2002, were confirmed through DNA testing, while remains of Keating and the unidentified woman — first retrieved in 2001 — were matched using updated technology.
According to WPIX, Fitzgerald had recently begun working at the foreign currency exchange desk at Fiduciary Trust and had just moved into his own Manhattan apartment. The 26-year-old, the eldest of three siblings, was a devoted New York Yankees fan and enjoyed the Dave Matthews Band.
Keating, 72, was a grandmother and former executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Middlesex in Massachusetts. She split her time between Cape Cod and Palm Springs. She was aboard American Airlines Flight 11, returning to California after visiting her grandchildren on the East Coast.
The OCME noted that approximately 2,753 people were killed in the World Trade Center attack, and the remains of about 1,100 victims remain unidentified.
“Nearly 25 years after the disaster at the World Trade Center, our commitment to identify the missing and return them to their loved ones stands as strong as ever,” said Dr. Jason Graham, chief medical examiner. “Each new identification testifies to the promise of science and sustained outreach to families despite the passage of time. We continue this work as our way of honoring the lost.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams also issued a statement following the announcement.
“The pain of losing a loved one in the September 11th terror attacks echoes across the decades,” Adams said. “With these three new identifications, we take a step forward in comforting family members still aching from that day. As a former law enforcement officer who served our city on 9/11, I understand deeply the feeling of loss so many families have experienced. We hope the families receiving answers from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner can take solace in the city’s tireless dedication to this mission.”
