Steel Across America Tour Concludes 9/11 Memorial at Giants Game

The Tunnel to Towers Steel Across America tour concluded its multi-state journey with a final stop at MetLife Stadium for a New York Giants game. The tour featured a 21-foot steel beam from the South Tower of the World Trade Center, which began its cross-country travels in May.

This final appearance marked the culmination of more than 38 stops and over 10,500 miles traveled, bringing a tangible piece of 9/11 history to communities across the United States before its return to the New York City area in advance of the 25th anniversary of the attacks. The 16,900-pound beam, recovered by first responders from Ground Zero in the days following the September 11, 2001, attacks, has served as a symbol of remembrance for the nearly 3,000 victims who died that day.

"For the past four months, communities across the country have welcomed this sacred piece of American history with incredible emotion," Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO Frank Siller stated. "Watching people stand in front of that steel, hugging it, praying over it, weeping, reminds me every single day of why we do this work."

During an event in Indianapolis in August, the beam was honored with a color guard, a pipes and drums procession, and performances by the Voices of the Indianapolis Fire Department. Speakers at the event highlighted the connection between Indiana's first responders, veterans, and the legacy of 9/11. Fire Division Chief Tom Neal and retired Major General Timothy Winslow spoke on the significance of the event for the city.

FDNY Lt. Jack Kielty, a Tunnel to Towers board member, noted the profound impact of bringing the steel to Indianapolis, a city with its own ties to the tragedy. "Indiana veterans and first responders understand what it means to serve," Kielty said.

The tour also brought attention to Indiana's specific losses on 9/11, which included nine residents. Indianapolis Task Force One dispatched rescuers to Ground Zero, and six members of the team later died from illnesses attributed to their work in the toxic environment. Scott Nokes, a Marine Corps veteran and Tunnel to Towers recipient, spoke about the emotional connection people felt with the beam, stating, "Their souls are in that steel, and if you touch it, you feel it."

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Frank Siller and his family honored his brother, Stephen Siller, a firefighter who died on 9/11, by retracing his steps through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. The Steel Across America tour aimed to ensure that a new generation understands the significance of the events of September 11th and to honor those who responded and served.