Frank Siller reflects on brother Stephen’s 9/11 sacrifice with Sean Hannity, remembering a firefighter’s heroism and the mission it inspired.
NEW YORK — As America prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Frank Siller is once again sharing the story of his younger brother, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, whose final act of courage became the foundation for a nationwide mission to support America’s heroes.
In a conversation with Sean Hannity, Siller reflected on the loss that changed his family forever and the sacrifice that ultimately inspired the creation of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Stephen Siller was killed on September 11, 2001, after responding to the World Trade Center attacks despite having already completed his overnight shift. His brother Frank has spent the years since working to ensure that his sacrifice — and the sacrifices of thousands of other first responders and military personnel — are never forgotten.
Stephen Siller ran toward the danger
On the morning of 9/11, Stephen Siller was heading home from his overnight shift at Squad 1 in Brooklyn when he heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Instead of continuing home, he turned around and returned to his firehouse.
Authorities had closed the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel to vehicle traffic, preventing Siller from driving into Manhattan. He responded by putting approximately 60 pounds of firefighting equipment on his back and running through the tunnel toward the burning towers.
Siller ultimately made his way to the South Tower, where he joined fellow first responders attempting to save lives.
He never returned home.
A brother waiting for a phone call
For Frank Siller, the tragedy was not only a national catastrophe but a devastating family loss.
In his recently released memoir, “Let Us Do Good,” Siller recalls repeatedly trying to reach Stephen by phone and walkie-talkie after the attacks.
He knew the chances of hearing from his brother were diminishing, but continued calling anyway.
A firefighter at Ground Zero eventually confirmed what the family feared: Stephen was not coming home.
That moment became a defining point in Frank Siller’s life.
Turning grief into a mission
Rather than allowing Stephen’s story to end with his death, the Siller family decided to turn their grief into action.
They established the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in Stephen’s memory, creating an organization dedicated to supporting first responders, military personnel and their families.
The foundation’s work has expanded substantially over the past 25 years, including programs that help severely wounded veterans and families of fallen service members.
The mission is rooted in the same principle Frank says defined his brother: helping others even when doing so requires personal sacrifice.
The Tunnel to Towers legacy
Stephen’s final journey through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel eventually became the inspiration for the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K.
Thousands of participants retrace the route each year, running from Brooklyn toward Lower Manhattan in honor of the firefighter and the other first responders who died on 9/11.
The event has become one of the most visible ways Americans remember Stephen’s sacrifice while raising money for the foundation’s programs.
The organization has also expanded its work to provide housing and other assistance to catastrophically injured veterans and families of fallen first responders.
Steel Across America brings 9/11 memory home
This year’s 25th anniversary commemorations have given Siller another opportunity to remind Americans about the human stories behind the attacks.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation organized the Steel Across America tour, transporting a massive steel beam recovered from the South Tower across the country.
The beam recently arrived in Washington, where it was displayed during a September 8 memorial event attended by President Donald Trump and first responders.
Frank Siller described the recovered steel as a reminder of the extraordinary heroism displayed on September 11.
The beam is scheduled to return to New York as part of anniversary commemorations, with Siller’s family preparing to retrace Stephen’s final route through the tunnel.
Honoring heroes beyond 9/11
For Siller, remembering Stephen is inseparable from honoring the broader community of Americans who put themselves in harm’s way.
The 9/11 attacks claimed the lives of 343 FDNY firefighters, 37 Port Authority police officers and 23 NYPD officers, among thousands of other victims. Many more first responders have since died from illnesses connected to the rescue and recovery effort.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has sought to carry that legacy forward by assisting first responders and military families decades after the attacks.
That mission has also helped keep Stephen Siller’s story alive for younger generations who were not yet born when the towers fell.
A sacrifice that continues to inspire
Twenty-five years after 9/11, Frank Siller continues to tell his brother’s story not simply as a story of loss, but as one of service.
Stephen had a choice on the morning of September 11. He had already finished his shift and was heading toward a family outing. Instead, he heard that people were in danger and went back toward the fire.
He carried his equipment through the tunnel and into Manhattan, ultimately giving his life while trying to save others.
Frank’s message in the years since has been to honor that sacrifice through action.
As America approaches the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the Siller family’s story remains a reminder that the legacy of that day is not only found in monuments or memorial ceremonies. It also lives through the people who continue to serve — and through the families determined to make sure their sacrifices are never forgotten.
