Nearly 50 people are making their way from Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to New York City, covering 485 miles in honor of the first responders and service members who lost their lives on 9/11. And Tuesday, their journey brought them right here to the D.C. area, with a stop at the Pentagon this week.
The runners take turns in small groups, covering roughly 10 miles a day, with some going even farther. They’re running through towns and communities along the way, carrying flags, memories and a message that 25 years later, the sacrifices of 9/11 must never be forgotten.
The run is organized with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, created in memory of New York firefighter Stephen Siller. On 9/11, Siller turned around after hearing about the attacks, grabbed his 60 pounds of firefighting gear and ran toward the Twin Towers. He never made it home to his wife and five children.
Now, 25 years later, these runners are carrying that memory forward — one painful, powerful mile at a time.