Brother recounts 9/11 loss, expands charity honoring fallen firefighter
Frank Siller describes learning his brother Stephen, an FDNY firefighter who died on 9/11, was lost and how the tragedy led to the Tunnel to Towers foundation.
On September 11, 2001, Frank Siller turned to his mother-in-law, feeling his brother Stephen had perished, a dread. Stephen, a married father of five, had left his off-duty truck, donned 60 pounds of gear and rushed through the closed Brooklyn Battery Tunnel toward the burning towers, never returning. Frank’s new memoir recounts the family’s grief, Stephen’s premonition of an early death, and the decision to honor him by creating the Tunnel to Towers foundation.
The organization began with a 5K run retracing Stephen’s tunnel route, attracting 1,500 runners in 2002 and 30,000 in 2025, and now funds smart homes for injured veterans, mortgage-free housing for Gold Star families, and scholarships for children of fallen responders. Celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone, Mark Wahlberg and Dave Portnoy have supported the cause, which aims to turn tragedy into service. Frank emphasizes that the mission reflects both his brother’s selflessness and the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi.
Why it matters
It shows how personal loss after 9/11 sparked a charity that now supports veterans, first responders and families in need.
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