"So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you" (2 Cor 4:12).
On 9/11/01, New York City
firefighter Stephen Siller had just completed his shift when he heard on his
truck's scanner that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. Siller
quickly turned his truck around and attempted to drive back to Manhattan via
the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel but found the entrance blocked by abandoned
vehicles. Desperate to join his elite Squad One brothers, Siller donned 75
pounds of fire gear and ran a mile-and-a-half through the tunnel, before an
emergency vehicle picked him up and dropped him off at Tower Two.
Siller had been orphaned at the
age of 10 and raised by his much older brothers and sisters. Siller died that
day trying to save others. He left behind a wife and five children.
His story proved so inspirational
that it became a legend in the newsrooms and firehouses of New York City. His
six siblings - who in many ways viewed Siller as a son, as well as a brother -
found themselves grappling with a dilemma: should they allow the tragic
circumstances of their brother's death to paralyze and embitter them or use it
as a catalyst to help others and preserve his memory?
The Siller family chose the latter.
Once they made that decision, and
armed with no extraordinary wealth or political clout, the siblings combined
forces to convince New York officials to close down the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel
the last Sunday morning of each September and stage the "Tunnel to Towers
Run" to commemorate their brother's heroic last run.
Each year since 9/11 tens of
thousands of runners have retraced the steps of a hero. As part of the event
343 New York City firefighters, each representing a fallen comrade and holding
an American flag, stand throughout the length of the tunnel. They are joined by
firefighters from across the United States, each holding a poster-size picture
of a firefighter who perished on 9/11.
The Siller family has raised more
than $1 million and donated the money to charities that benefit families of
those affected by the 9/11 attacks.
This is a tribute to one
heartbroken family who opted to channel its energy into triumph out of tragedy.
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