Marvin Bethea is one of the unsung heroes of the tragedy of September 11. A paramedic for St. John's Hospital in Queens, Bethea was part of the rescue effort at the World Trade Center when both towers collapsed. He risked his life trying to save others, including police and firefighters.

"You couldn't even see two inches in front of you," Bethea recalled this week. "I mean, that's how dark it was. Plus there was glass breaking, you were choking, you just couldn't breath, my eyes were burning, people were screaming. People were getting killed and the building just came down - it was a nightmare."

But the nightmare has continued for Bethea, who suffered a stroke while at work a month after the attacks. Forty-one years old and in perfect health, Bethea said his doctor attributed the stroke to the stress of September 11.

"A lot of guys I worked with wound up being killed," Bethea said. "I had a lot of sleepless nights, going to funerals and memorials - it was just hard. Some people said you should take off of work but I kept on working."

Since the stroke, Bethea has been at home, losing roughly $$2,500 a month in take home pay. When Bethea contacted NY1 about his situation, he was using his sick time and worried that his benefits would be cut off.

"I would like to be able to get some financial benefits or some compensation just to hold me over until I go back to work again," he told NY1. "My stroke is not permanent and I will be able to go back to work by the end of next month, if not beginning of January."

So NY1 contacted Bethea's union, Local 1199, regarding his situation.