By Jennifer Marino
From the bright September sunshine to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, which was lined with 343 firefighters holding flags, and finally to the site of the World Trade Center, the 5K run/walk followed the route Stephen Siller took on Sept. 11, 2001.
"The event is about all the heroic deeds done on 9/11 that we'll never know," said Russell Siller, Stephen's older brother. For Russell, the run is a "very healing event for me and my family." On a larger scale, he also sees how the city -- and even ground zero -- is healing.
Stephen Siller's story is the stuff of legends. He didn't let the many challenges in his life hold him back. He lost both his parents by the time he was 11. That's how he came to Rockville Centre. Russell and his wife, Jacqueline, took him in, and Stephen attended St. Agnes grammar and high schools.
On Sept. 11, he faced the challenge of getting into a city that most were fleeing. His shift at Squad 1 just completed, Siller was heading out of the city when the towers were hit. He left his car behind and ran through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. A fire truck picked him up near the end of the tunnel and dropped him off at Liberty and West streets.
So the Siller family came up with the idea to "follow in the footsteps of an American hero," the motto of the run. This year's run will take place on Sunday, Sept. 28.
More than 3,000 people participated last year. Siller's childhood friend, Peter O'Toole, remembers seeing everyone gathered in the Brooklyn schoolyard where runners checked in. "It's something to see," he said.
O'Toole knew Siller since sixth grade. They grew up playing basketball together, and as adults worked together on an orange juice route. O'Toole can't wait to run again this year and catch up with old friends. His niece and nephew want to join him after hearing the stories of how great the first run was. O'Toole is also going to bring his kids to the after-race party for face-painting and to see the clowns. "[It's] how Stephen would've wanted things," he said of old friends reuniting and their children playing together.
Last year's race raised money for the Stephen Siller "Let Us Do Good" Children's Foundation and the New York City Fire Fighters Burn Center Foundation. This year, the Sillers also hope to donate to the New York Foundling Home and to children of military personnel killed in the conflict in Iraq. The military will be a new presence this year, joining the firefighters in holding flags in the tunnel.
After the race, there will be a ceremony featuring firefighters and dignitaries, as well as songs and poetry. Russell Siller said that after most runs you grab some water and a banana and leave, but at this one people stay and celebrate. He said he has been pleasantly surprised at the cooperation of everyone, especially the Department of Transportation, which allows part of the tunnel to be closed. O'Toole describes the race as the most organized he's ever participated in.
"This year, people will realize that the city is healing," said Russell Siller. "We'll make it through."
The entry fee is $30 before the Sept. 19 deadline and $40 afterward. and all entrants receive T-shirts. The run/walk course is 3.1 miles long, and runners must check in on the day of the race no later than 8:45 a.m. Participants are encouraged to use public transportation, and there will be UPS trucks collecting gear and then meeting runners at the finish line. For more detailed information and a race application, visit the event's Web site at www.tunneltotowersrun.org.
