On Sunday, thousands of runners commemorated a fallen firefighter from New York City by emulating his urgent dash towards the twin towers, all in honor of the 9/11 attack victims and raising over $1 million for survivors and their families.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s 5K Run & Walk attracted an impressive 30,000 participants who retraced the route of FDNY hero Stephen Siller. On September 11, 2001, Siller sprinted from Red Hook through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center.
The funds raised from this event support the foundation in providing free homes to the families of fallen first responders with young children and constructing “smart homes” for injured veterans.
The foundation has also helped pay off mortgages for numerous families who lost a parent in the line of duty.
“This event stands as the cornerstone of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. We started it to honor my brother Stephen in 2002, and it continues to serve as a heartfelt tribute to those we lost on 9/11, 24 years later,” said Frank Siller, CEO and Chairman of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
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“Every year, individuals from across the nation and around the globe gather in New York to assist us in our mission to NEVER FORGET,” Siller remarked. This year, a representative confirmed over 50 firefighters from France participated in support of the mission.
While fundraising efforts are expected to continue for several more weeks, the foundation has already surpassed $2.4 million from both corporate and individual supporters, as reported on its website.
Keegan Muldowney, a police officer from Potsdam, NY, led his team—the Muldowney Moondogs—to raise an extraordinary $135,000 in honor of his cousin Ritchie “Moondog” Muldowney.
This fallen FDNY firefighter was with Ladder 7 in Manhattan at the time of his death during the attacks on September 11.
“The positive impact that Frank Siller and the Siller family have on catastrophically wounded veterans and the families of fallen first responders is a powerful message,” said Muldowney. “Everyone we spoke to wanted to contribute to the great work the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is doing.”
“There’s no persuasion needed; people naturally want to help out.”
The Muldowney family, involved in fundraising for the foundation “since the beginning,” has increased efforts to raise awareness throughout the year, Muldowney remarked, including organizing events in Florida, Long Island, and the Adirondack Mountains.
This persistent work has significantly boosted fundraising, elevating Muldowney’s team from collecting $45,000 last year to achieving a six-figure sum for the first time this year.
Muldowney expressed motivation to raise funds in his children’s names this year, believing “[educating] the next generation about the sacrifices made for us is crucial to what we are trying to achieve.”
“The essence of ‘Never forget,’ which is the Siller family’s mission, is that it is vital for the next generation to learn and remember these sacrifices.”
