It was a run of remembrance Saturday when nearly 400 people flocked to Warren County High School to take part in the Tunnels to Towers 5K run and walk. The fifth running of the event, which was developed as a tribute to the run firefighter Stephen Siller made on Sept. 11, was a huge hit as people continue to come back.
“Everybody tells me when they first come, they are completely hooked,” said event director Joey Clark, who has helped developed Tunnels to Towers Middle Tennessee in the local area. “Every year it gets a little bigger and a little better.”
Finishing first isn’t the goal when athletes compete in the T2T 5K. Instead, the goal is to remember those who have lost their lives in the line of service. Every competitor carries with them a picture of a fallen hero and stories are shared every year of the brave sacrifices of first responders and service men and women.
Siller is always a topic of discussion as his heroic run inspired the course. On Sept. 11, 2001, Siller had just finished a shift with Brooklyn’s Squad 1 when a plane hit the North Tower. Instead of heading to play golf with his brothers as planned, Siller doubled back to do his duty.
The Tunnels to Towers website says tells the rest of Siller’s story: “Stephen drove his truck to the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, but it had already been closed for security purposes. Determined to carry out his duty, he strapped 60 pounds of gear to his back, and raced on foot through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave up his life while saving others.”
Locally, the T2T race makes sure to honor those like Siller. This year, speaker Chad Hale - a local Marine Corps veteran - shared the story of a brave soldier who he served with in Afghanistan. Corporal Greer lost his life and the money raised by the local organization helped pay the mortgage on his house for his family.
“As soon as people hear the stories, they really get to see first-hand the impact they are making - 95 percent of every dollar goes to the mission. When they come and compete, people get to see the results of their participation and see the impact of the mission,” said Clark.
Many runners take up Siller’s challenge on Sept. 11 too. While it’s not required, there were many runners Saturday who wore full gear while taking on the 5K and others wore weighted vests to simulate Siller’s journey.
The WCHS volleyball team has made it a point to complete the course before running the event over the years. Coach Erin Blalock using it as a learning tool for her team - and the conditioning doesn’t hurt either.
“To me, it’s about bringing awareness to the sacrifices of the first responders who give their time and sometimes their lives to help others. As members of the Morrison Fire and Rescue Department, our family has made an effort to participate in the event all five years,” said Blalock. “It’s also a great opportunity for the girls to be involved in helping a community organization and learn about the hard sacrifices that are made everyday by firefighters, law enforcement and first responders. Before we run the course, we always talk about Stephen Siller and what he did to meet up with his company to go into the towers to start the rescue and then ultimately not making it out.”
Blalock continued, “We talk about that day, about the sacrifices that he and so many others made to help others out of the buildings, and about the firefighters that the girls themselves carry with them on the course. I think that makes it so meaningful for them, knowing they are carrying a true hero over the course.”
For those wishing to compete in the future, be sure to follow the Tunnels to Towers Middle Tennessee Facebook page.
