Photo By Spc. David Gordon | A volunteer runner wearing a fire fighting suit raced towards the finish line during...... read more read more
TEMPE, Ariz. – Approximately over 100 participants took part in the 7th annual Tunnel to Towers Foundation 5K Run and Walk event here on Sept. 10, 2022. Founded immediately after the 9/11 attacks to honor the sacrifice of New York firefighter Stephen Stiller, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and its 5K Run and Walk event was then introduced into the state of Arizona in 2016.
John and Stella Herold, the spousal duo and volunteer directors for the Arizona chapter of Tunnel to Towers Foundation, both said that their commitment to the organization is mainly fueled by their personal experiences and losses.
“This is my brother Gary,” said John as he pointed to the photographs of people that he wore as neck badges during the event. “He was 44 years old when he was in the South Tower and perished in the South Tower. This is my friend and neighbor Kenny Marino. He lived about eight houses down from me, and he also lost his life in the South Tower. Kenny, Gary and Stephen Stiller all lost their lives in the South Tower.”
John and his wife Stella are both involved in the planning, organizing and directing of the Tunnel to Towers event that took place in Tempe, Arizona on September 10, 2022. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation raises money from their 5K Run and Walk events and merchandise sales to provide families of veterans and first responders with financial relief and assistance.
“Tunnel to Towers is paying off the mortgages of 21 fallen first responders, and two of them are from Arizona: Mesa firefighter Trevor Madrid and Salt River police officer Clayton Townsend,” said Stella Herold, volunteer director for the Arizona chapter of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. “The first responders have taken care of us, and we need to do that for them as well.”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation allows families to pick their dream home, said John.
“They will ask a veteran and first responder where they want to live,” said John. It’s whatever they want. It is so important because for somebody that is catastrophically injured, you don’t want to say that your limits are this and your limits are that.”
The foundation believes that taking care of veterans and first responders is their duty because these men and women have earned it. John and Stella have been putting these events together for several years in Arizona, the first year in Phoenix with the subsequent years taking place in Tempe.
John and Stella plan to continue putting these events together in the future. When asked why they enjoy volunteering so much time and energy Stella responded, “We’re just happy to be able to do this. It’s important for us. We enjoy being able to be a part of this program.”
For all subsequent events in the future for Arizona, John emphasized the foundation’s commitment to unanimous support for first responders and veterans.
“That is what the foundation does; whatever you want, you are going to get above and beyond, because you’ve earned it and you deserve it,” said John. “It’s not that the foundation is giving these things away, it’s that people have earned them with their service and sacrifice. So all of the homes…are provided for somebody’s service and sacrifice.”
| Date Taken: | 09.10.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.16.2022 12:32 |
| Story ID: | 429482 |
| Location: | TEMPE, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 160 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Tunnels to Towers, Supporting Veterans and First Responders, by SPC Brennick Stevens, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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