(TNND) — As the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is taking a piece of Ground Zero across the country to honor those lost and preserve their stories for future generations.
The foundation’s “Steel Across America” tour brought a 21-foot steel beam from the World Trade Center to the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile on Memorial Day. The beam, weighing nearly 17,000 pounds, is traveling more than 10,000 miles nationwide as part of the tribute.
Stephen Siller Jr., the son of fallen FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller and manager of the Tunnel to Towers Line of Duty program, said the tour serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by first responders, service members and civilians.
“It’s truly amazing to think about how many sacrificed that day,” Siller Jr. said. “Not just the men and women who put their lives on the line, but also the civilians whose lives were forever altered.”
Stephen Siller was among the 343 firefighters killed during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. According to his son, he was off duty when he learned about the attacks, but turned around and headed toward the World Trade Center to help others.
For Siller Jr., carrying the beam across the country is deeply personal.
“It means the world,” he said. “It’s a gift to travel and tell my father’s story to as many people that will hear it.”
He said the work of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has helped transform personal tragedy into a mission of service.
“Just this weekend we gave away 25 mortgage-free homes,” he said. “We’ll be doing 343 in honor of all the firefighters who lost their lives.”
The steel beam itself has become an emotional centerpiece during the tour, drawing crowds who stop to reflect, pray and remember.
“You can feel the gravity of the beam when you stand next to it,” Siller Jr. said. “My father’s body was never recovered. Who he is is ingrained in that steel.”
Organizers say the tour is also intended to educate younger Americans who were not alive or were too young to remember the events of 9/11.
“I was nine months old on 9/11 when my father lost his life,” Siller Jr. said. “Through this steel tour, we’re educating them on the sacrifices that so many men and women made.”
Beyond remembrance, the tour also highlights the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s continuing mission to support first responders, veterans and Gold Star families. The organization provides mortgage-free homes for families of fallen first responders and military members, as well as specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans.
Siller Jr. pointed to a recent stop in Miami, where the organization presented a smart home to Lance Cpl. Thomas Parker, who lost both legs while serving in the military.
“We got to give him a little bit of independence and give his family a little bit of a break,” he said.
The foundation encourages supporters to contribute through monthly donations to help continue its programs.
More information about the tour and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is available at t2t.org.
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