NEW ROCHELLE, NY (September 29, 2025) — The New Rochelle Fire Department (NRFD) joined thousands at the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K run/walk, honoring FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who died on September 11, 2001, while responding to the World Trade Center attacks. The event supports the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to aiding first responders, veterans, and their families.
On September 11, 2001, Siller, off-duty and heading home, learned of the attacks and drove to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Finding it closed due to traffic, he grabbed his 60-pound turnout gear and ran nearly two miles through the tunnel to reach the Twin Towers, where he was among the 343 FDNY members killed that day.
The NRFD has participated in every Tunnel to Towers 5K since its start in 2003, reflecting their long-standing support for the foundation’s mission. The organization, founded in 2002 by Siller’s family, provides mortgage-free homes to families of fallen first responders and service members, builds smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans, and combats veteran homelessness. It has committed over $1 billion to these efforts, with 93% of funds going directly to programs.
The NRFD also remembered Deputy Chief Frank Strollo, who responded to Ground Zero with the department’s contingent in 2001 and died in 2019 from 9/11-related cancer. “We remember Chief Strollo, and all those who lost their lives to 9/11-related illness,” the department said.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s work includes educational initiatives like the 9/11 Institute, which has reached over 1 million people, and events like the 5K, which recreate Siller’s heroic run. The foundation holds a 4/4 Star rating from Charity Navigator for its transparency and efficiency.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.