More Than $20,000 Raised for Stephen Stiller Foundation

An unidentified Spring Arbor Firefighter carries a flag during the Tunnel to Towers 5K run/walk on Saturday near the Cascades.  Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV News.

By Jeff Steers
JTV News

(August 29, 2020 11:31 AM) Tunnel to Towers 5K run/walk race organizer Jan Ganzel said the event was meant to be – despite the COVID 19 pandemic the country is experiencing the last five months.

When he counted the number of entrants – 343 – that matched the number of firefighters killed on 9/11 due to terrorist attacks.

More than $20,000 was expected to be donated to the Stephen Siller Foundation, according to Ganzel. The total included money from entrance fees for the run/walk and donations for the event on Saturday at Cascades.

The Stephen Siller Foundation started the Tunnel to Towers 5K run/walk following 9/11. It is the fourth event in Jackson according to Ganzel – a sergeant for Blackman/Leoni Public Safety Department.

Siller was assigned to Brooklyn’s Squad 1, had just finished his shift and was on his way to play golf with his brothers when he got word over his scanner of a plane hitting the north tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Upon hearing the news, Siller called his wife, Sally, and asked her to tell his brothers he would catch up with them later. He returned to Squad 1 to get his gear.

Siller drove his truck to the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, but it had already been closed for security purposes. Determined to carry out his duty, he strapped 60 lbs. of gear to his back, and raced on foot through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave his life while saving others.

He ran more than three miles with the gear on.

“The event was originally scheduled for May,” Ganzel said on The Bart Hawley show earlier in the week. “We started talking about whether to have a virtual run or live one.

“We knew we wanted to have a live event because of the important message it brings every year.”

Ganzel, a New York native, lost more than a dozen friends in wake of 9/11.

A number of firefighters, police officials, and members of the military ran in the event in much cooler temperatures. Firefighters from as far away as Chicago, Detroit, and Ohio were at the event.

Summit and Spring Arbor Chief Tim McEldowney was awarded the running tag number 343 for his commitment to the event.

Former Jackson firefighter Casper Vanderkarr was given the Follow the Footsteps award. He now works as a firefighter in Ann Arbor.

The Stephen Siller Foundation has raised more than $750,000 for a number of programs. Ganzel said money raised in Jackson will go for the Smart Home Program, Fallen Fire Responder Home Program, or the Gold Star Family Home Program.

“The family created the run in Stephen Siller’s honor hoping we will never forget 9/11,” Ganzel said.

Ganzel thanked all of the volunteers and sponsors for helping with the 2020 event.

Pandemic limitations included temperature testing for those in the event, a rolling start where runners started a couple at a time, and no awards program following the race to avoid large crowds.

A Facebook live event will be held at 7 p.m. on the Jackson Tunnel to Towers page. Link to https://www.facebook.com/JacksonMIT2T5k for more information.