Nearly 40,000 Participants Honor 9/11 Heroes in Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk
NEW YORK (PIX11) — The 23rd annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk took place in New York City on Sunday, September 29, 2024, drawing tens of thousands of participants to honor the heroes lost on 9/11.
The event, which has grown from just 1,500 participants in its first year, saw runners, walkers, first responders, and veterans retrace the final footsteps of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller.
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Participants began their journey in Red Hook, Brooklyn, passed through the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, and finished in Lower Manhattan. The route symbolizes the path taken by Stephen Siller, who strapped 60 pounds of gear to his back and ran through the tunnel to save others on September 11, 2001.
Frank Siller, Stephen's brother and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, emphasized the event's significance: "We made a promise that we will never forget the sacrifice that was made 23 years ago."
The event brought together people of all ages, including 17-year-old junior firefighter Madison Lambertz, who participated with her father. Despite not being alive during 9/11, Lambertz recognized the importance of honoring its legacy, stating, "What we're able to do now is just something beautiful out of something that was so terrible."
This year's event paid special tribute to families of fallen first responders who have received mortgage-free homes through the Tunnel to Towers Fallen First Responder Home Program. The run honored not only the 343 firefighters and law enforcement officers who died on 9/11 but also those who have lost their lives due to related illnesses and the over 7,000 service members killed in the Global War on Terror.
The Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk continues to be a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made on 9/11 and in its aftermath, uniting thousands in a spirit of remembrance and support for those who serve.
