23 years after the tragic 9/11 attacks, a charitable foundation dedicated to a fallen New York City firefighter continues to make a difference, honoring him and others who sacrificed their lives.  

It’s been more than 23 years since firefighter Stephen Siller, who was assigned to Brooklyn’s Squad 1 in Park Slope, had just completed his shift and was on his way to play golf with his brothers when he got word of a plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Siller returned to Squad 1 to get his gear and drove his truck to the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, but it was closed. Determined to carry out his duty, he strapped 60 pounds of gear to his back and raced on foot through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he tragically gave up his life while saving others.

Siller’s older brother Frank remembers receiving the call that his brother was among the missing firefighters from Squad 1 and would not be returning home. 

Helping America’s heroes

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is a charitable organization created by Frank Siller. Its purpose is to pay tribute to Stephen and honor what he and many others did on that catastrophic day.

The foundation operates as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and helps families affected by Sept. 11, first responders and veterans rebuild from funds raised through nationwide charity runs, Siller explained. 

Since 9/11, Tunnel to Towers has been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.

The organization is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness by building “veteran villages” across the United States. 

Honoring the sacrifice

Frank Siller, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation chairman and CEO, told the Brooklyn Eagle that he had one specific goal in mind when creating Tunnel to Towers. 

“We wanted to honor my brother’s sacrifice and the sacrifice of all those who have perished on that day,” he said. “Our mission is to take care of these great heroes.”

“I’ve been a New Yorker all my life; I grew up on Staten Island, my wife is from Bay Ridge, and I have a lot of Brooklyn friends. New York, especially Brooklyn, lost so many and was hit so very hard and impacted so deeply 23 years ago,” Siller said. “As a foundation, we feel it’s our duty to take care of all first responders that lose their lives all over America. We are all Americans — and if you die protecting us, we are going to take care of your families. That is the promise that Tunnel to Towers has made.”

According to Siller, by the end of 2024, the foundation will have paid off hundreds of mortgages and taken thousands of homeless veterans off the streets.

On Sept. 29, nearly 40,000 people will participate in the 23rd Annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk NYC, he said. 

The 5K course retraces the final footsteps of Stephen Siller on Sept. 11, 2001, from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers. 

This annual event pays homage to the 343 FDNY firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, 37 PAPD officers, three court officers and thousands of civilians who lost their lives on that day, as well as those who have lost their lives in the decades since to 9/11-related illnesses.

“I believe this foundation will be here forever,” Siller said. “Because while it’s sad to say, we will always lose great heroes. There will always be someone giving their life for their country.”