ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — More than 750 runners and walkers gathered early this morning to lace up their sneakers, honor fallen heroes, and ensure a community never forgets the sacrifices made on September 11, 2001.
The occasion marked the 7th annual Tunnel to Towers 5K in St. Johns County. The event has already raised over $14,000 for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization that directs 92 cents of every dollar raised straight to its vital program services for first responders and military families.
Before hitting the 3.1-mile course, participants gathered for an emotional opening ceremony. The race itself traces its inspiration to the legacy of Stephen Siller, an FDNY firefighter who laid down his life on 9/11, running three miles through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel toward the Twin Towers.
For some participants, the weight of that day was felt literally. Griffin Hoegee, a firefighter with St. Johns County Fire and Rescue, skipped his usual uniform for heavy bunker gear at the starting line.
“We’re doing it for our brothers,” Hoegee said, sweating through his heavy protective equipment. “If we’re complaining about how difficult this is, imagine what they went through, you know? Who are we to complain when they made the ultimate sacrifice? We did it for every firefighter out there, and I’d happily do it again next year.”
Todd Boger, representing the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJCSO), echoed that sentiment as high temperatures added an extra layer of difficulty to the course. “It’s pretty hot, but you know, it’s really nothing compared to what these guys went through,” Boger remarked. “They’re not back home with their families, so whatever we could do to help remember what happened on 9/11, we will.”
The crowd was a mix of generations. Many participants carried vivid memories of exactly where they were when the towers fell, while younger runners learned about the tragedy through the history books.
“People that were killed, we need to remember them, and the efforts that the rescuers went through,” said runner John Castriotta.
For younger generations, the event served as a profound history lesson. “Firefighters and policemen went into the towers to try to save them, and the towers collapsed,” shared youth runner Nicholas Eiber. “Now we’re trying to honor all the fallen heroes of 9/11.”
Keeping that memory alive locally is exactly why organizers bring the event to the area year after year.
“Just keep it in the community so we don’t forget so we never forget,” said Patty Trousdell, an event coordinator with Tunnel to Towers.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.