New York, NY – On a rainy September morning in New York City, over 40,000 people lined up at the entrance of the Hugh Carey Tunnel in Brooklyn for the 23rd Tunnel to Towers Run and Walk to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation (T2T). Participants traveled far and wide, from all 50 US states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and 34 foreign countries to honor our fallen heroes. What began with 1,500 people in 2002, is now considered by many to be the one of the top 5K runs in America.

The run and walk honors and recreates the final footsteps of Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter (FDNY) who lost his life on September 11, 2001.  With 60 pounds of fire gear on his back, Stephen covered the nearly 3.5-mile journey through the Hugh Carey Tunnel to the Twin Towers, and lost his life helping others get to safety.

The event begins with a special wave of over 600 T2T program recipients and their families who are the first to enter the tunnel and finish at ground zero. But they are not alone. 2,500 cadets from Army West Point guide them into the tunnel, then run the course in formation alongside the recipients. After the recipients and cadets exit the tunnel, the general start begins.

Over 5,000 first responders from all over the country and the world came to show their support.  Many of them choosing to participate in their full-service gear to honor Stephen’s sacrifice, the sacrifices made by everyone on Sept. 11th, 2001, and the everyday sacrifice of first responders. Additionally thousands of active and retired military participated.

The Tunnel to Towers Run and Walk NYC is more than just an endurance event; it’s a celebration, memorial, and expression of support for our nation’s heroes and their families. Coming out of the tunnel, participants are greeted by uniformed members of the FDNY, NYPD, PAPD, and local ROTC programs holding banners of the Fallen. Nearly 7,000 banners line the last leg of the run. They display the names and faces of each first responder killed in the September 11th attacks, a list of names for all first responders who succumbed to 9-11 related illnesses, and the names of all U.S. veterans killed in the Global War on Terror. 

This year’s event also saw nearly 1,000 fundraising teams raise millions in support of T2T’s programs. The Foundation provides para-accessible smart homes to catastrophically wounded service members and mortgage free homes to gold star and fallen first responder families killed in the line of duty, who leave young children behind. The Foundation is also dedicated to eradicating the veteran homelessness problem by housing and supporting all veterans and helping them reacclimate to civilian life.

Local FOX television stations in major US markets will be airing a special covering the event and the Foundation’s work between 10/04/2024 and 10/21/2024. Check your local guide for more information.

The Tunnel to Towers 5K Run and Walk in New York City is held each year on the last Sunday of September. In addition to the NYC Run and Walk, the Foundation holds numerous runs and tower climbs across America to honor the local heroes in their communities. More information can be found at t2t.org.