The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has launched a cross‑country memorial tour called “Steel Across America.” A 16,900‑pound, 21‑foot steel beam recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center will travel over 10,500 miles, stopping in more than 20 states before returning to Ground Zero on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Purpose and leadership
Foundation chairman and CEO Frank Siller said the tour is designed to ensure that every generation can remember and truly understand what happened on 9/11. “No one, regardless of their age or where they live, should ever forget what happened here or the bravery that was shown by so many heroes,” Siller said in a press release.
Siller founded Tunnel to Towers in memory of his brother, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who died responding to the attacks. The organization has long supported families of fallen service members, providing mortgage‑free homes and working to combat veteran homelessness.
Tour itinerary
The journey began on May 2, departing from Lower Manhattan. The beam will travel across the country, with scheduled stops in states such as California, Arizona, Washington, D.C., Texas, Florida, and others. Planned venues include museums, town squares, sporting events and even the White House.
One early stop was Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, the site where President George W. Bush was first informed that America was under attack on September 11, 2001. Former White House chief of staff Andy Card, who whispered the news to President Bush, attended the visit.
Community involvement
Each stop will feature local officials, first responders and members of the foundation. The beam serves as a traveling memorial, allowing communities to gather, reflect and honor the 2,977 victims and the thousands of first responders who risked—and often gave—their lives.
In addition to public displays, the foundation will use the tour to highlight its ongoing charitable work. This year it plans to deliver 343 mortgage‑free homes to families of fallen FDNY firefighters, matching the number of firefighters who perished on 9/11.
Final destination
The beam’s final stop is scheduled for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where it will be displayed before the tour concludes with a return to Ground Zero on September 11, 2026. Organizers hope the tour will reinforce a national promise to remember the tragedy and the heroism that followed.
By bringing a tangible piece of history to towns and cities across the United States, Tunnel to Towers aims to keep the memory of 9/11 alive for future generations, reinforcing the values of sacrifice, service and community that many Americans hold dear.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
