Amy Jacobson and Jeanne Ives welcomed Dan DeLeon, national golf representative for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, to discuss the organization’s vital mission and an upcoming local fundraiser. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was founded in the aftermath of 9/11 to honor Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter and the youngest of seven children, who lost both parents shortly before the attacks. On September 11, 2001, Siller was heading home to play golf with his brothers when he learned of the attacks. He turned around, retrieved his gear, and ran through the closed Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel to reach the World Trade Center, where he perished alongside 342 other firefighters and hundreds of first responders and civilians.
Inspired by Siller’s selflessness, the Foundation supports Gold Star families and first responders. When a fallen service member or first responder leaves behind a young family, Tunnel to Towers pays off their mortgage or builds them a new home — mortgage-free. The organization also assists first responders who later die from 9/11-related cancers and illnesses. DeLeon noted the Foundation has been actively reaching out to families of the 13 U.S. service members recently killed in action, including Major Alex Klein.DeLeon, a former Army officer and longtime volunteer whose family has deep ties to the military and first responders, has been involved with Tunnel to Towers for 18 years.
His wife was the Foundation’s second employee, and the entire family has volunteered extensively. He highlighted inspiring moments like West Point cadets running the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K through the tunnel. With financial pressures affecting many, DeLeon emphasized multiple ways to support the cause: monthly donations as little as $11, volunteering at runs, climbs, or golf outings nationwide, and attending third-party events. Last year, the AM 560 The Answer golf outing raised an impressive $70,000 for the Foundation.
Listeners are encouraged to join the 2026 AM 560 golf outing on Monday, June 15th at McCray Golf Course in Barrington, Illinois. The event, sponsored by Signature Bank, benefits Tunnel to Towers and its work with first responders, military heroes, and Gold Star families. Foursomes and twosomes are still available. Sign up today at 560theanswer.com/golf.
In a time when gratitude for service members and first responders can feel distant, organizations like Tunnel to Towers turn remembrance into tangible support. As DeLeon shared, the Foundation’s growth and impact over 25 years reflect the enduring American spirit of coming together in the face of tragedy.For more information on the Foundation’s work, visit t2t.org. Events like the upcoming golf outing provide a meaningful way for Chicago-area residents to give back to those who have given everything.