Garfield-Inspired 9/11 Shirt Ad Shocks Victim’s Daughter, Sparks Outcry Over Etsy’s Oversight

A cartoon cat. A national tragedy. And one grieving daughter forced to relive her worst day thanks to an ad she never wanted to see.

A bizarre T-shirt being sold on Etsy has ignited a firestorm of criticism after it was promoted through targeted social media ads to Americans connected to the September 11 attacks—including the daughter of a man who died that day. The shirt shows Garfield, the lasagna-loving cat, flying into a set of Twin Towers shaped like food. It’s being called tone-deaf, offensive, and disgraceful.

And for Amy Stabile of Long Island, it was personal.

“You’re just scrolling through Facebook, and then suddenly—there it is,” said Stabile, whose father, Herman Charles Broghammer, was killed in the North Tower on 9/11. “It’s not just a shirt. It’s a slap in the face.”

‘Silly Merch’ Meets National Trauma

The shirt, which features no official branding but draws unmistakably on the classic comic character, is listed by “NelliesNestStore,” a novelty shop based in Australia that ships through North Carolina. Its tagline? “Silly merch for silly dudes.”

But there’s nothing silly about it for thousands of Americans still mourning the attack that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The listing offers multiple colors and sizes. The seller has not responded to media requests, but they continue to enjoy a five-star rating on Etsy—even as backlash mounts.

“Why is this allowed at all?” asked Stabile. “You want to be edgy? Fine. But mocking one of the worst days in American history isn’t edgy. It’s cruel.”

A Platform Under Fire

Etsy has so far refused to remove the item. When contacted by FOX 5 NY, a spokesperson for the company said that while their policies ban items that “promote, support, or glorify violence or hatred,” they also recognize that humor is subjective.

That explanation hasn’t satisfied critics, who say Etsy has a responsibility to do more.

“The idea that this would even show up in a targeted ad—that’s where it crosses a whole new line,” said Stabile. “It didn’t just exist. It was pushed to me because I’m a 9/11 victim’s daughter.”

Etsy now says it will review how products like this end up in ads, but there’s no indication the listing itself will be removed.

Corporate Logos, Public Anger

Adding to the controversy, the shirt also features logos that resemble major U.S. brands like Nike, Target, and McDonald’s—raising legal questions and ethical concerns. Stabile is now urging these companies to step in and stop their imagery from being used to profit off national grief.

“Where are these companies?” she asked. “They should be saying, ‘We don’t stand for this.’ It’s terrorism being turned into a joke, and they’re part of it whether they like it or not.”

More Than a Shirt

This isn’t just about bad taste. For many, it speaks to a growing culture of online content that turns tragedy into clicks—and grief into merchandise.

“There’s a generation that doesn’t remember 9/11. I get that,” said Stabile. “But when your father dies in a building collapse on live television, that trauma doesn’t go away.”

She says she’s not calling for censorship—just decency.

“It’s not about free speech. It’s about basic humanity,” she added. “At some point, we have to ask what we’re willing to allow in the name of a joke. Because for me, it’s not funny. It’s heartbreaking.”

As Etsy reviews its policies and social media platforms continue to push ads without accountability, families like the Broghammers are left to do the hard work of demanding compassion in a digital world that often forgets how to care.

The Takeaway

The Garfield 9/11 shirt may seem absurd on the surface—but for those who lived through the horror of that day, it’s yet another reminder of how easily tragedy gets turned into entertainment. As one woman put it:

“You feel crushed. That someone would find our pain funny. That’s the world we’re living in now.”