Nearly 40,000 people participated in the event, which takes place each year on the last Sunday of September.
What began with 1,500 people in 2002, one year after the terror attacks, is now considered by many to be one of the top 5K runs in America.
The event retraces the final footsteps of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller on Sept. 11, 2001, from the foot of the Battery Tunnel in Brooklyn to the Twin Towers in Lower Manhattan.
Assigned to FDNY's First Squad, Siller had just finished his shift and was on his way to play golf with his brothers when he heard over the radio that a plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center.
In response, he drove his truck to the entrance of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, formerly known as the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, but found out it had closed. Siller then strapped 60 pounds of gear to his back and raced on foot to the Twin Towers, where he sacrificed his life to save others in the terror attacks.
Ahead of the race, Eyewitness News caught up with his son, Stephen Siller Jr., who described his father's legacy.
"I feel like I hit the lottery in terms of a dad. You know, I didn't get much time with him, but he gave me an example of how to live the rest of my life and what my priorities should be," Siller Jr. said. "To see this and the legacy he left behind with his sacrifice and what he did for other people, it's motivation to just make sure I'm living for other people too."
Tunnels to Towers to kick off 24th annual 5K Run and Walk
Sunday's run and walk pays homages to more than 340 FDNY firefighters, law enforcement officers and thousands of civilians who lost their lives on September 11. Proceeds from the event support the foundation's programs, including those benefitting first responders and service members injured in the line of duty.
You can learn more about the event and the organization's mission on the Tunnel to Towers Foundation website.
2024 COVERAGE: Tunnel to Towers 5K Run and Walk honors fallen 9/11 first responders
Tunnel to Towers kicks off 23rd annual 5K Run and Walk honoring fallen 9/11 first responders
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