Written by SFC (R) David Freeland
Local JROTC units in and around NYC support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Sunday 25 September 2022, Fort Hamilton High School instructors (Major/Ret. Sang Lee and SFC/Ret. David Freeland, with local Army National Guard and school JROTC support member Ms Katie Sisco supervised (77) students/cadets that participated in recognizing those who died on 9/11.
The event symbolizes Stephen Siller’s final footsteps from the foot of the Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers and pays homage to the 343 FDNY firefighters, law enforcement officers, and thousands of civilians who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. The event has expanded to honor all the lives lost in the War on Terror.
This year the 5K run also honored the 13 lives that were lost on Aug. 16, 2021 during the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Army JROTC Mission is: “To Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens” and for the motto of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, they chose the words of St. Francis they had often heard from their parents: “While we have time, let us do good.”
For myself and many Americans, we know exactly where and when we first heard the news of the attacks on 11 Sept 2001. Since that day, I have continued serving our county, retiring from active duty, becoming a JROTC military instructor and passing the torch of knowledge to our future generations about how one person can Make A Difference.
From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank all our cadets that participated and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation CEO Frank Siller and associates for allowing our young volunteers the opportunity to show respect and dedication to those who gave all, their families, and our country.
So, “Let us do good,” and continue to pay it forward through inspiring our youth to be Better. Stephen Siller’s life and heroic death serve as a reminder to us all to live life to the fullest and to spend our time here on earth doing good – this is his legacy.
Referenced information in the above article is cited from: The T2T.org, Media posting on the site, The US Army JROTC website and SFC/Ret. Freeland.
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