1966 - 2021

On the morning of September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 was commandeered by terrorists and crashed into the Pentagon, penetrating the building’s five rings. The resulting fireball rose 200 feet above the building, engulfing a large area surrounding the impact site with smoke. A 100-foot section of one of the Pentagons’ outer walls collapsed and the fire, uncontrolled for two days, continued to smolder and reignite for approximately another week.

Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Spiker reported to the Pentagon crash site on September 17, 2001, as a member of the Atlanta Evidence Response Team (ERT). He remained at the Pentagon until October 10, 2001. As part of this work, Spiker came into contact with toxic debris and contaminates. There was no personal protective equipment available to him, and he was exposed to all carcinogens, toxins, hazardous materials, etc., present at the crash site.

In March 2002, Spiker was diagnosed with stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. He underwent several surgeries and had extensive chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant over the course of the next 16 years. In September 2018, Spiker was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and underwent surgery to remove the skin cancer. Additional scans and bloodwork disclosed extensive damage to his spine from his previous lymphoma diagnosis. Before a decision could be made regarding additional surgery, Spiker succumbed to his illness on April 4, 2021. Extensive research by the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health established sufficient evidence that Spiker’s exposure to the air in and around the Pentagon crash site either precipitated or accelerated his development of the disease.

Spiker was born on April 3, 1966, in Modesto, California. He entered on duty with the FBI on June 9, 1996.