September 2018

MEDICAL COMMUNITY
Mobile
tribute
to 9/11
by Liz Henderson
As the 17th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11
draws closer, hundreds of people are expected to
attend the Never Forget 9/11 Mobile Exhibit when it
stops in Coral Springs this month.
Launched by the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation,
the 1,000 square foot trailer exhibit hit the road in 2013 and
has since continued to immerse its visitors with educational
displays. “Anybody can learn about history,” read the
foundation’s promotional advertisement for the exhibit. “But
the real experience is seeing it.”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s namesake, Stephen Siller,
was a firefighter assigned to Brooklyn’s Squad 1 the day of
the terrorist attacks. On his way home from a shift, Stephen
heard over his scanner that a plane had crashed into the
North Tower of the World Trade Center. In that moment,
Stephen made a life-altering choice. Instead of continuing
on his way, he turned his car around, strapped on his gear,
and ran on foot through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, where
he gave his life saving others at the Twin Towers. To this day,
the foundation, led by his surviving family members, hosts a
multitude of programs designed to bring relief, awareness,
and education to those involved in the aftermath of 9/11.
Their events even extend to those affected by Hurricane
Sandy, fallen first responders, and U.S. veterans.
Five years ago, Tunnel to Towers put education on wheels
when it launched the Never Forget 9/11 Mobile Exhibit. Since
its beginnings, the truck has traveled to 35 U.S. states and
Canada, as well as welcomed more than 250,000 visitors on
board. Visitors have the opportunity to interact with artifacts
such as steel beams from the towers, documentary videos,
and recordings of first responder transmissions in a half-hour
walkthrough tour.
Gina Orlando, the Police and Fire Pension Administrator
for Coral Springs, is helping to coordinate the trailer’s
appearance. Although like many of us, on September 11th
she watched in helplessness from afar in Florida, Orlando
once worked on the 98th floor of the World Trade Center.
“The individuals that are associated with this organization
are all somehow associated with the tragedy,” Orlando said.
“They were there, they lost somebody, they were injured…
they have dedicated their lives to have the memory of
16
SEPTEMBER 2018