Soggy conditions give way to abundant sunshine for annual Tunnel to Towers 5K in New York City

The somber event, which takes place on the last Sunday in September, retraces the steps of Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter who died while saving others when the Twin Towers fell that morning.

NEW YORK – Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of New York City on Sunday for the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K run and walk, which honors the brave men and women who lost their lives during the terrorist attack that took place on Sept. 11, 2001.

The somber event, which takes place on the last Sunday in September, retraces the steps of Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter who died while saving others when the Twin Towers fell that morning.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Siller, with 60 pounds of gear on his back, walked through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the South Tower of the World Trade Center, to help those who were trapped inside.

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Siller’s son, also named Stephen, spoke with FOX Weather Meteorologist Bayne Froney ahead of the event on Sunday.

"For me, this is one of the most beautiful days of the year," he said. "Everything he sacrificed culminates today. We have thousands of first responder families and 40,000 people showing up to retrace his steps. The fact that 24 years after that, this is what it’s become. It’s incredibly beautiful."

It was a damp, soggy start to the day on Sunday, but the weather cleared just in time for the race and the event was blessed with plenty of sunshine.

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Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy, a supporter of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, was on hand for the event and spoke with Froney about the race.

"I’m getting credit for the weather," he joked. "People keep saying it’s been raining in year’s past. I show up and it's 80 (degrees) and sunny."

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Frank Siller, Stephen Siller’s brother, as well as the Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, jumped in.

"Let me just say something. We had two years of rain, but we had almost 20 years of sunlight before he came," Siller joked. "But he’s here. And it’s sunny. And I appreciate it."

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has several programs that benefit fallen first responders.

The Fallen First Responder Home Program pays off the mortgages of homes of fallen first responders, and the Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program builds mortgage-free smart homes for critically injured veterans and first responders.

The Gold Star Family Home Program, launched in 2018, provides mortgage-free homes to families of service members who die in the line of duty.