Tunnels to Towers 5k brings out giant crowd

Never forget.

Two words served as the mantra for the Tunnels to Towers 5K held at Warren County High School, which brought in a potential record-breaking crowd to town to remember those who were lost in the Sept. 11 attacks almost 25 years ago.

The participants, closing in on 500, wore badges to commemorate those servicemen and women who lost their lives in New York and - as has become a custom in one of the most popular 5K events locally - many local firefighters and police officers ran the event in full gear to honor Stephen Siller, whose story serves as the inspiration for the entire event.

Joe Clark, local coordinator of the event that hit its eighth year locally Saturday, told the story of Siller before the participants got off and running. Siller had just gotten off duty from Brooklyn's Squad 1 and was heading to play golf with his brothers when the North Tower of the World Trade Center was struck.

Siller immediately packed up and headed back to the city, ultimately getting stopped at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel before making the rest of the trek to the towers on foot.

"It was almost three miles from the tunnel to the Towers," recalled Clark during the introduction to the race. "And he was carrying 60 pounds of gear. He made it to his team."

Joe Clark tells the story of Stephen Siller before the eighth local Tunnels to Towers 5K at WCHS Saturday.

Siller lost his life, becoming one of 343 members of the New York City Fire Department to make the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11.

That number inspired the 343 Award, which was given to Lt. Adam Anderson before the race. Lauren Meisenheimer Fletcher, daughter of NYC firefighter Ray Meisenheimer, was on hand to give out the award and brought up, over and over, the phrase that has been a driving force behind the Tunnels to Towers 5K initiative.

"Never forget. Say it," asked Fletcher, getting a loud response from the large crowd gathered at the event. "If everybody here can bring just one person and come back next year, it'll continue to make sure we never forget."

Sgt. Evan Cooper was also recognized in the law enforcement category by Clark, while Judge Ryan J. Moore was on hand to give Charlie Fitch the community award for his work in promoting and helping with the local run.

The McMinnville Fire Department was also recognized for being the team that helped raise the most funds for the event, which have gone to provide mortgage-free homes and housing assistance for homeless veterans.

According to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation website, over $1 billion has been raised over the years "in support of our nation's greatest heroes and their families."

Once the race started, athletes of all ages and experience levels took the course. The fastest time, unofficially, was 19:04, but every participant - regardless of time - had volunteers (more than 50 were needed to organize the event), supporters and other athletes ready to greet them at the finish line.

And most of all, they all carried with them a badge ... one they'll hopefully never forget.