9/11 Hero's Widower Returns Award Because It Was Also Given to Caitlyn Jenner 

The husband of Moira Smith, an NYPD officer killed on September 11, 2001, is publicly returning a “Woman of the Year” award given to her by Glamour magazine. James Smith said he FedExed the award back to the magazine after learning it had also been awarded to Caitlyn Jenner.

Smith was posthumously awarded the “Woman of the Year” award by Glamour in 2001. Smith helped evacuate dozens of people from the burning World Trade Center, dying inside the South Tower when it collapsed. She previously helped evacuate dozens of wounded people during a 1991 subway derailment where five people were killed and 130 were hurt.

This year, the Woman of the Year award went to Caitlyn Jenner, with Glamour hailing her as “The Trans Champion.” That led James Smith to return the award, writing an open letter to Glamour’s editor-in-chief Cindi Leive on Facebook in which he referred to Jenner as “Bruce” and “this man.” From the letter:

On October 29th, 2001 I was honored to accept the Glamour Magazine “Woman of the Year Award” posthumously given to my wife, Police Officer Moira Smith. Moira was killed on September 11th, 2001 while rescuing thousands from the World Trade Center. EMT Yamel Merino was also posthumously honored that evening for her heroism.

I was shocked and saddened to learn that Glamour has just named Bruce Jenner “Woman of the Year”. I find it insulting to Moira Smith’s memory, and the memory of other heroic women who have earned this award. Was there no woman in America, or the rest of the world, more deserving than this man? At a time when we have women in the armed forces fighting and dying for our country, heroic doctors fighting deadly diseases, women police officers and firefighters putting their lives on the line for total strangers, brave women overcoming life threatening diseases…the list of possibilities goes on…is this the best you could do?

I can only guess that this was a publicity stunt meant to resuscitate a dying medium.

After discussing this slap in the face to the memory of our Hero with my family, I have decided to return Moira’s award to Glamour Magazine.

A Glamour spokesperson told the Post they stand by both awards:

“We were proud to honor his wife . . . in 2001, and we stand by our decision to honor Caitlyn Jenner,” a Glamour spokeswoman said on Saturday. “Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards recognize women with a variety of backgrounds and experiences.”

Jenner poses backstage at the 2015 Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall, November 9, 2015. Photo via Getty Images