Tunnel to Towers Donates 22 Mortgage-Free Homes to US Heroes
For the 22nd anniversary, Tunnel to Towers donates 22 mortgage-free homes to US heroes. It’s hard to believe it was 22 years ago that life as we know it changed forever. A lot has happened in 22 years:
- Selfies are a thing – and widely accepted!
- You don’t have to remember anyone’s phone number anymore. (Nor can you)
- Vinyl came back and CDs haven’t
- Smoking is out of every restaurant
- “Friend” became a verb
A lot has changed, but one thing that will never change is the passion, respect, and love for those who risked and gave their lives on September 11, 2001.
To commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation (T2T) has done something outstanding. The organization has gifted mortgage-free homes to 22 American heroes and their families.
The recipients include:
- 11 first responders who lost their lives to 9/11-related illnesses
- Five first responders who died from COVID they contracted in the line of duty
- Four first responders who were killed in the line of duty
- One severely injured first responder
- One severely injured military veteran
T2T chairman and CEO Frank Siller, who started the organization to honor his brother FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller and other first responders like him who died on 9/11, says the organization has vowed to “Never Forget” those who “face down any danger to keep us safe.”
Remembering 9/11: 5 Must-See Documentaries
September 11, 2001, has forever been marked as a day of remembrance. The tragic terrorist attack took nearly 3,000 people’s lives. That day, four planes were hijacked by the Al Qaeda terrorist group. Two of those planes flew into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York which upon impact collapsed the buildings. Prior to 9/11, they were the tallest buildings in New York. They were completed in 1973 and for some time they were the tallest buildings in the world.
One of the planes flew into the Pentagon located in the nation’s capital of Washington D.C. The fourth plane, known as Flight 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back. It was the only plane that didn’t reach its target. Ziah Jarrah, was one of the plane’s hijackers and also a trained pilot. According to The 9/11 Commission Report, “Jarrah’s objective was to crash his airliner into symbols of the American Republic, the Capitol or the White House,” the report claims. “He was defeated by the alerted, unarmed passengers of United 93.” After the plane crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, all 44 passengers were killed upon impact.
Today’s Remembrance
Vice President Kamala Harris is joined by several other politicians such as New York City Mayor Eric Adams, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and Rudy Giuliani as well as Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attended Ground Zero with mourners today (Sept. 11, 2023). None of the politicians were scheduled to speak during the ceremony. Names of the nearly 3,000 dead are called out in remembrance. President Biden was not in attendance in New York as he is attending a memorial ceremony in Alaska on the heels of his trip to Asia.
Take a look at five documentaries that tell the tale of the heart-wrenching event of September 11, 2001. From these documentaries, you will see exclusive interviews with heroes and witnesses as well as the historical impact of this tragic event.
Andie Summers has been the morning show host on XTU for the past 25 years. She is a two-time CMA Major Market Personality of the Year winner and two-time Gracie Award recipient from the Alliance for Women in Media. As a content creator for XTU, Andie enjoys sharing parenting and travel tips, and loves helping you shop online with Must Haves.
