In a groundbreaking development, the remains of a new father who was tragically killed during the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center have finally been identified after more than two decades. John Ballantine Niven, a 44-year-old executive at Aon Risk Services, was located on the 105th floor of the South Tower when the terrorist attack occurred, leaving behind his wife, Ellen, and their 18-month-old son, Jack. The announcement of his identification was made by New York City officials on Thursday, who credited the breakthrough DNA sequencing technology for this significant achievement.

Ellen Niven, John's widow, expressed her emotions upon hearing the news, stating, "It is certainly emotional for me to hear 23 years later that John's DNA has been found." She further revealed that the family had no knowledge that these identification efforts were still ongoing. Ellen expressed her deep appreciation for the city of New York and the dedicated teams working tirelessly behind the scenes all these years, acknowledging their tremendous credit for this extraordinary effort.

Niven's identification marks the 1,650th victim to be identified from the devastating act of terrorism that claimed the lives of 2,753 people on American soil. Ellen expressed her gratitude that the family will now have a part of John to lay to rest, stating, "We have a gravesite where we buried a box of mementos, and will now be able to bury part of him, which is meaningful for us."

Described as a caring father, John Niven was known for his close relationship with his young son. The family resided in an Upper East Side apartment in Manhattan but frequently spent their weekends in Oyster Bay, Long Island, where John grew up. He was an avid reader of philosophy and history books and enjoyed playing tennis with his childhood friends. John attended Lake Forest College in Illinois and was a member of the St. Nicholas Society of New York.

Reflecting on her late husband's perspective on life, Ellen shared, "He would say that although his life was short, he was really blessed in the years he had." Their son, Jack, now 23, also expressed his gratitude for the ongoing efforts to find his father's remains. As he was too young to remember the events of 9/11, Jack remarked, "It means so much to see how New Yorkers have stayed true to the 'Never Forget' promise." He commended the medical examiner's office and the police for their incredible work and the enduring effort of these tributes, particularly in light of the considerable passage of time.

While John Niven's identification brings solace to his family, there are still 1,103 victims at Ground Zero who have not yet been identified. However, the Medical Examiner's Office is hopeful that this groundbreaking DNA technology will significantly aid in their identification process. The technology allows for the extraction and analysis of specific fragments of DNA from larger, often deteriorated samples. Its recent success in connecting Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann with hair found on victims' bodies has further solidified its potential.

Chief Medical Examiner Jason Graham emphasized the agency's unwavering commitment to finding answers for families using the latest advances in science. He stated, "Our solemn promise to find answers for families using the latest advances in science stands as strong today as in the immediate days of the World Trade Center attacks." New York City Mayor Eric Adams echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the pain caused by the enormous losses on September 11 but highlighting the possibility of new identifications offering solace to the victims' families.

The Medical Examiner's Office previously announced the identification of the remains of a man and a woman in September, but their names were withheld at the request of their families. The ongoing efforts to identify victims and provide closure to families affected by the 9/11 attacks continue to be a priority for the city of New York.