On the morning of September 11, 2001, Stephen Siller had planned to spend the day playing golf with his brothers. The youngest of seven, Stephen’s bond with his siblings was strengthened by shared tragedy—he lost both his parents by the time he was ten, leaving his older siblings to raise him. But when Stephen, a firefighter with Brooklyn’s Squad 1, heard on his scanner that a plane had struck the North Tower, he knew his plans had to change. He called his wife, asking her to tell his brothers he would meet them later.
When he reached the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, it had already been closed to traffic. Undeterred, Stephen strapped on 60 pounds of gear and ran 1.7 miles through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his life to save others. He left behind his wife and five children, but his legacy of selflessness lives on through the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, founded by his brother Frank.
The foundation has since raised more than $500 million to provide mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families and the families of fallen first responders. Frank shared a crucial lesson he learned early on in the foundation’s journey: keep it simple. “Our mission is pure,” Frank explained. “People see where their donation is going. We don’t ask for a lot of money. We asked for $11 a month.”
Frank emphasized the importance of staying focused on the foundation’s mission and continually reinforcing it to attract new supporters. “The one thing I’ve learned is that I’m not afraid to take on the right thing, no matter how enormous or challenging it may be,” he said. “I believe in America, and I believe in its goodness, kindness, and generosity.”
He added, “How could you say no when it’s the right thing to do?”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s growth has been fueled by Frank’s unwavering commitment to listening to the needs of families and remaining laser-focused on its goals.
“All you have to do is just listen and not have the fear of not being able to do it. You can’t let fear get in the way of growing something when it’s the right thing to do,” Frank shared. “When I say I’m gonna do something, I always say it out loud because I’m a proud person, and I’m goal-oriented. But you have to say it out loud.”
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