Press release from Asheville Fire Department:
The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, established in memory of a fallen 9/11 firefighter, whose mission is to honor and support first responders and the military, today announced plans to hold its inaugural Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk in Asheville on Sunday, September 10.The event will honor and celebrate Buncombe County’s first responders—fire, police, EMTs, paramedics—as well as military service heroes who serve, sacrifice and protect us every day.Registration for the 5K Run/Walk is now officially open and participants may register online athttps://tunnel2towers.org/event/2017-tunnel-towers-5k-run-walk-asheville/Registered walkers and runners will have the opportunity to create their own profile pages that will feature their personal photos and individual stories. Additionally, participants can compete to raise the most funds and recruit the most friends to their team.During the post-run ceremony, those named top recruiter and fundraiser will receive prizes from local businesses and organizations.The Asheville’s 5K Run/Walk is the latest of dozens of 5K Runs/Walks held all around the United States in support of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.Tunnel to Towers is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services for the nation’s first responders and military. Through its Building for America’s Bravest program, dozens of customized high-tech “smart homes” have been built throughout the country for catastrophically injured service members. These homes, created primarily for those who are now triple-and quadruple-amputees as a result of IED explosions, have specialized features run off of iPads to allow these heroes to lead as independent a life as possible.About the Stephen Siller/the Tunnel to Towers Foundation:Tunnel to Towers is dedicated to the memory of FDNY hero, and father of five, Stephen Siller, who lost his life on 9/11. Stephen, who was off-duty when the first plane hit, drove to his Brooklyn firehouse and retrieved over 60 pounds of his gear, then sought the quickest route to the World Trade Center. Finding the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel blocked, in a supreme act of heroism, Stephen ran about three miles with that gear, to the Twin Towers, where he perished.Stephen’s six much-older brothers and sisters, who had raised him after Stephen was orphaned at age 10, subsequently established the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers in his honor. Its signature event is its annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk held in New York City the last September of the month. The event, which draws 25,000 participants from all over the world, follows in Stephen’s heroic footsteps on 9/11.
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