- This event has passed.
2017 Tunnel to Towers 5k*
Sep 22, 2017 - Sep 24, 2017
Semper Fi Fund Honors Fallen 9/11 Firefighter Stephen Siller For 6th Straight Year in Brooklyn-to-NYC 5K Event
September 23-24, 2017
Post-9/11 Wounded Service Members and Their Families to Participate In Sept. 24 Event Supporting the
Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation
Who: Eighty-five service members, caregivers and family members from the Semper Fi Fund participate in Tunnel to Towers 5K & Walk New York City with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Since 2012, the Semper Fi Fund has partnered with Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to provide nearly $2.5 million in assistance by building mortgage-free smart homes for catastrophically injured service members and their families.
Key Attendees
Sergeant Major, USMC (Ret.) Carlton Kent: Semper Fi Fund board member director and 16th Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps https://semperfifund.org/leadership/carlton-w-kent/
Robert Apodaca
“Prior to me going overseas for combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom I was a firefighter/EMT. After I was injured in combat, I lost my job as a firefighter due to injuries I sustained in Iraq. This run has meaning to me deeper than just as an Army veteran, but as a firefighter as well. I know the passion and sacrifice those brave men and women give on a daily basis, not just in wartime. I will be honored as a veteran and firefighter to give tribute participating in this event.”
WHAT: Semper Fi Fund’s sixth consecutive participation at Tunnel to Towers 5k & Walk New York City. At this powerful event, which comes just two weeks after the 16th anniversary of the horrors of 9/11, recovering service members, caregivers and family members will all participate in taking the same path as New York City firefighter Stephen Siller took that day when he parked his truck by the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and ran to the World Trade Center site with 60 pounds of gear on his back—only to give up his life while saving the lives of others.
“Many of the service members that are helped by the Semper Fi Fund cite the events of 9/11 as the reason they raised their right hand and took an oath to defend this country,” said Semper Fi Fund President, Executive Director and Founder Karen Guenther. “This 5k has a very special place in our hearts, and it’s deeply touching to see how the members of Team Semper Fi take the notion of recovery through sport and blend it with honoring first responders.”
WHEN: September 23–24, 2017
September 23: 10:30am–1:00pm 9/11 National September 11 Memorial & Museum
September 24: 9:00am–12:00pm Race day
WHERE: Tunnel to Towers 5K & Walk NYC
Start: Ikea parking lot 9 at 1 Beard Street in Brooklyn
Finish: Freedom Tower
WHY: “Recovery Through Sport” has proven to be an ideal outlet for injured service members to hone both physical agility and mental focus, skills that are critical to navigating their recovery. Learning and practicing alongside fellow wounded service members, they can also trade stories, share strategies for coping with their injuries, and forge lasting friendships.