Tunnel to Towers 5K race heads to Greenville

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - “Never Forget.” That’s what our nation says about 9/11. As one foundation honors the legacy of fallen firefighters, they’re helping the ones who still make sacrifices today.

You can help by participating in the first annual Tunnel to Towers 5K in Greenville Saturday, June 4th at 8am.

“On 9/11, that’s actually my birthday as well, I was working,” Captain Scott King said.

In a South Carolina fire station, Captain Scott King watched firefighters with the same job title take the most heroic steps in New York City.

“To hear the story of Stephen Siller and to hear the courage that he had an all the first responders that day they had to run into a crisis where most people would run away,” Kate Bissinger said. Bissinger is a co-director of Tunnel to Towers.

T2T said after driving his truck to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, only to find the passage was restricted to emergency vehicles, Stephen strapped 60 pounds of gear to his back, rushed on foot through gridlocked traffic, and ran through the tunnel to the World Trade Center where he gave up his life while saving others.

Captain King and dozens of other firefighters plan to run in their turnout gear for the entire 5K. “It’s not some thing we do much of, run with our fire gear. It’s a little bit of hardship that I go through is nothing compared to what they went through,” King said.

With every step, they’ll raise money to give injured first responders and veterans smart homes. It also helps families pay off mortgages who have lost their own first responder in the line of duty. Runners will also be given a badge with the name and picture of someone lost in the Twin Towers.

“A lot of these families are left with a lot heartbreak for bills, mortgages to pay off, it’s the fact of this foundation can step in and help some of that pain is a big deal,” Maggie Pack said. Pack is a co-director of T2T.

If you’re interested in participating in the 5K where you can walk or run, click here to sign up. They’re offering a promo code, FOXCAR. It will take $5 off registration.

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