The more than 40,000 racers gathering at the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in New York City on Sunday, Sept. 29, won’t be there for a typical weekend fitness outing. They won’t be there just to hear the Zac Brown Band, a popular country act, at the finish line of the 23rd Annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk NYC, either.
Instead, they will be running or walking to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, 37 Port Authority officers, three court officers and thousands of civilians who perished in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The 5-kilometer (3.1 mile) race route retraces the final footsteps of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller on that day, starting from the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center.
“For me, it’s more than just an event — it’s a tradition rooted in a deep commitment to honoring the memory of those we lost and ensuring that future generations understand the importance of never forgetting,” said Larry Olson, senior vice president of marketing & communications at Tunnel to Towers (T2T), the race’s founding nonprofit. “Participating in these runs has always been a powerful way for me and my family to pay tribute, stay connected to the community and actively contribute to the cause of supporting our first responders and military heroes.”
T2T was created in honor of Siller, who had finished work but ran from the tunnel to the South Tower with 60 pounds of gear on his back to help on Sept. 11. He lost his life in the process, inspiring his brother Frank to create T2T.
The organization provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and builds uniquely adapted smart homes for severely injured veterans and first responders. It also focuses on Sept. 11 education and remembrance, as well as eliminating veteran homelessness in the U.S.
This year’s run includes some unique elements, such as the post-race concert and a Saturday “Appreciation Celebration” party at Liberty State Park with more than 200 Gold Star families and those of fallen first responders.
“The Zac Brown Band performance is sure to add an unforgettable energy and sense of camaraderie to the day as we come together to celebrate, honor and remember,” said Olson, who began participating in the race seven years before joining T2T. “These additions make this year’s event not only a powerful tribute, but also a unique opportunity to build community in new and meaningful ways.”
One of those ways is the 9/11 Institute, a student curriculum, and the Never Forget mobile exhibit. T2T is also connected to thousands of memorial events, like runs, walks, golf tournaments, pickleball events and commemorative coin challenges, all with the goal of keeping the memory and stories from that day alive.
Olson especially loves when families of the fallen participate somehow in the race, like Keegan Muldowney, a policeman who lost an uncle and a cousin — both firefighters — on Sept. 11. Muldowney and his wife are now active fundraisers and supporters of the 5K run.
“Their commitment to keeping the memory of these heroes alive is truly moving,” said Olson, the grandson and son of World War I and Korean War veterans. “It’s families like the Muldowneys who remind us of the deep connections and personal sacrifices that continue to drive the mission of Tunnel to Towers.”
That’s what makes the annual walk and run so special, he said: taking time to remember what happened 23 years ago.
“In essence, these remembrance runs are a reflection of the values that define Tunnel to Towers: honoring sacrifice, building community, and ensuring that we never lose sight of the heroes who protect and serve our nation,” said Olson.
Visit Tunnel to Towers to register for the 23rd Annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk NYC.
