On Friday, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation concluded its ambitious Steel Across America tour, a 10,500‑mile journey that carried a 21‑foot, 16,900‑pound World Trade Center steel beam to over 40 stops in 21 states. The tour, organized by the foundation founded by Stephen Siller’s brother Frank, honored the sacrifice of New York firefighter Stephen Siller, who lost his life in the Brooklyn‑Battery Tunnel on September 11, 2001.
Local families walk Stephen Siller’s final steps
Hundreds of community members joined Siller’s family as they retraced the route Stephen ran toward the burning towers 25 years ago. The walk ended at FDNY Firehouse 10, where participants placed roses on the FDNY Memorial Wall, a 56‑foot bronze bas‑relief honoring the 343 firefighters who perished on 9/11.
Tour highlights and purpose
During its four‑month run, the steel beam served as a gathering point for citizens, veterans, firehouses, military installations, and historic sites such as Mount Rushmore, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the White House Ellipse. The foundation’s press release notes that the beam helped “ensure that a new generation understands the significance of what happened 25 years ago.”
Beyond the physical tour, Tunnel to Towers is expanding its educational outreach with a K‑12 curriculum on 9/11 and a mobile exhibit that travels to schools across the country, aiming to teach children who were not yet born at the time of the attacks.
Support for veterans and first‑responders
In conjunction with the anniversary, the foundation pledged mortgage‑free homes to an additional 55 families of fallen first‑responders from 18 states, including 27 families from the New York metropolitan area. Fifteen of those families lost loved ones to 9/11‑related illnesses, underscoring the ongoing impact of the tragedy on America’s heroes.
“Freedom is not free, and we’re going to make sure that we teach America that we have this great country — the best that ever existed, by far… just because of these men and women that are willing to protect us,” Siller said, emphasizing the link between remembrance and the values of faith, family, and liberty.
Looking ahead
The foundation’s work continues beyond the tour. By providing housing, educational resources, and community gatherings, Tunnel to Towers seeks to keep the memory of 9/11 alive while supporting those who serve our nation. As Siller reflected, walking his brother’s final steps was “something I will never be able to fully put into words,” a sentiment shared by the many who joined the remembrance.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
