BY KARLA SCHUSTER
November 6, 2007

Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized yesterday for saying a police detective who died after working at Ground Zero was "not a hero" and promised that the city's Sept. 11 memorial will honor rescue and recovery workers sickened by toxic dust from the former World Trade Center site.

"I believe James Zadroga was a hero for the way he lived, regardless of the way he died," Bloomberg said after meeting with the detective's father, Joseph. Last week, the mayor angered Zadroga's family and the city's police union when he said that "the science says this was not a hero" after chief medical examiner Dr. Charles Hirsch ruled that Zadroga's death last year at 34 was Hirsch last month ruled that Zadroga's fatal lung disease was caused by him injecting himself with ground-up pills not caused by toxic trade center dust.

Zadroga's family demanded a meeting with Bloomberg and a public apology. Yesterday, they got both -- along with a vow that the the mayor would tackle the emotionally charged task of how to memorialize Ground Zero recovery workers who may fall ill or die decades from now, as a result of their exposure to toxic dust and debris.

"I certainly apologize for my comments and I committed to the family we would find a dignified way to honor his son's sacrifice," Bloomberg said about two hours after the private meeting with Zadroga's father.

Joseph Zadroga said he was satisfied with the meeting.

"I came out with everything I expected," Zadroga said. "The mayor was very gracious, he showed his sympathy for James, he said that James was a hero, a true hero, and that he just was misquoted or taken out of context when he said what he said." Zadroga and his attorney, Michael Barasch of Manhattan, also gave the mayor stacks of documents -- among them medical records and police pension board records -- that they said prove James Zadroga's illness was caused by his work at Ground Zero. They said they will ask Hirsch to examine the documents and re-evaluate his ruling on Zadroga's death.

Deputy Mayor Edward Skyler, who also attended the meeting, said the mayor agreed to look over the record, but would not ask Hirsch to re-open the case.

"The mayor supports Dr. Hirsch unequivocally," Skyler said. "They gave us a lot of information. The mayor said that we will certainly take a look at everything but he was clear that he wouldn't speak for that office."

A spokeswoman for the medical examiner, Ellen Borakove, declined to comment until the office gets a formal request to re-examine the Zadroga case.

Hirsch last month ruled that Zadroga's fatal lung disease was caused by him injecting himself with ground-up pills. A previous pathologist's report said Zadroga's death was the result of his work after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Other legal and medical sources also have linked Zadroga's illness to toxic dust, including the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund and the Police Department Medical Board.

Earlier this year, Hirsch amended the death certificate of Felicia Dunn-Jones, a Staten Island woman who was caught in the dust plume when the towers fell on Sept. 11 and died months later of lung disease. Her name was officially added to the 9/11 victims' list.

"I can only hope he does what he did for Felicia Dunn-Jones," Zadroga said. "Jimmy was there for hundreds of hours, not just caught in the plume. Dr. Hirsch eventually changed his mind about her; I'm hoping he can do the same for Jimmy."