‘Lieutenant Paul Mitchell, Battilian 1, 343 FDNY’ This is just one of the names and photo that were displayed on tags and carried by racers as they participated this past weekend in the second annual Tunnels to Towers 5K Run & Walk.
The event was held in the rain on Saturday Sept. 22 at the fire station on N.Sprigg Street. The route went through a nearby neighborhood and eventually came back to Sprigg Street and finished at the station.
The Tunnels to Towers Foundation was created to honor the life and death of New York firefighter Stephen Siller. He lost his life while working off duty to help save others on Sept. 11, 2001. Siller ran from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel towards the Twin Towers with 60 pounds of gear strapped to his back.
The event also honors the other firefighters, police officers and civilians who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
The race was originally scheduled locally for Sept. 8 but was pushed back due to bad weather. Even with the cold temperatures and rain the event still went on as planned.
“Last year, we had 81 racers and this year we’ve got 63, but I’m guaranteeing that’s because of the storm we had two weeks ago and when we had to cancel it,” volunteer director Hannah Shaw said. “It gave us more time to get extra planning going.”
Many of the racers are first responders in Cape Girardeau or nearby cities. Seven of those firefighters honored Stephen Siller by running in their full gear, which includes jacket, pants, helmet and oxygen tanks. Siller is the hero who the foundation was created and names after.
“[Stephen Siller’s] siblings started this to honor all of the first responders that were killed in 9/11 and to support catastrophically injured first responders and military personnel by building Smart Homes for the injured so they are able to gain their independence back and by paying off mortgages for fallen heroes families,” Shaw said.
This 5K is one of many races held around the country in support of the Stephen Siller Tunnels to Towers Foundation. The foundation has grown into multiple programs, which all help first responders or veterans.
The donations and funds raised from Saturday’s event will go to the foundation’s homebase in New York City, where the original race is held annually.
