Around 40,000 people attended the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk on Sept. 29 to honor 9/11 victims. The race was the foundation’s 23rd annual event, and despite heavy rain and wind, the streets around the World Trade Center were packed for one of the largest 5Ks in America.
Tunnel to Towers was created by the family of Stephen Siller, a firefighter who died while saving others during the attacks on 9/11 and hosts 72 events throughout the year in its National Run, Walk & Climb Series. The New York City race follows the path Siller took on that day, starting in Brooklyn, through the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and to the site of the Twin Towers.
When runners came out of the tunnel, active members of the New York City Police Department, New York City Fire Department, U.S. Army, Junior ROTC and other first responders welcomed them while waving American flags and shouting words of encouragement. Participants ran past soldiers and firefighters holding banners of the 343 FDNY firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, 37 PAPD officers and three court officers who lost their lives on 9/11.
Many of the runners at the event are part of the FDNY and NYPD systems and have personal connections to the crews at the scene on 9/11.
“We’re volunteer firefighters in Pleasantville,” said Brian Scopino, a firefighter who ran the race with his coworkers Michael Rufino and Luke Scopino. “We give back to our own community and it’s great to give back to those here too.”
This was the Scopino brothers’ first Tunnel to Towers run and Rufino’s fourth. The brothers and Rufino raced to show their support to those who had gone through pain and suffering during 9/11.
“I keep coming back to honor Stephen Siller,” Rufino told WSN. “It’s a great event after 9/11 and everything he did that day — we do something like this to give back.”
Members of NYU’s ice hockey team participated in the race this year to bond as a team and better connect with New York City and its history.
“It’s a good foundation to support,” team captain and graduate student Jackson Oleson said. “We wanted to do more stuff like this and I’m glad we were finally able to put it together. The atmosphere here is great, everybody’s here to support a good cause and we’re happy we could do that alongside the law enforcement, fire, military and other athletes.”
In response to COVID-19, Tunnel to Towers created the COVID-19 Heroes Fund to provide food, PPE suits and financial relief for frontline healthcare workers. Former president Donald Trump honored the foundation for its success with the COVID-19 Heroes Fund in 2020, and mentioned Frank Siller, CEO of Tunnel to Towers, in a ceremony at the White House.
“Frank, I want to thank you for continuing to support our nation’s heroes,” Trump said at the ceremony. “And, again, your family and your brother is very proud of you, looking down.”
Tunnel to Towers also has ties to former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who previously was Trump’s personal lawyer. The foundation was included in a subpoena for documents in Giuliani’s recently-closed bankruptcy case because it allegedly paid Giuliani Communications over $16,000 per month for his internet show “America’s Mayor Live.” Giuliani did not disclose the source of income when seeking bankruptcy protection. His bankruptcy case has since been thrown out due to lack of transparency and “uncooperative conduct.”
Regardless of the controversies surrounding Tunnel to Towers, the atmosphere of this year’s race was positive. The event drew participants of all ages, and gave those who were not in the city on 9/11 the opportunity to feel the togetherness brought about by that day.
“I had fun because we were running for a good cause, and it’s motivating to other people too,” 9-year-old Ana Tripato told WSN. “It makes me feel more connected to New York City and its history.”
Ana ran the 5K with her mother and aunt, who were college sophomores in New York on 9/11.
“She’s learning about it in history books and we had to explain to her, ‘Mommy and her friends were there and experienced it, and nothing’s been the same since,’” Ana’s mother, Michelle Tripato said. “The silver lining of it was how it brought everyone together, and still does.”
Contact Sidney Snider at [email protected].
