Frank Siller, CEO and Chairman of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, recounts the moment he received a phone call from Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, confirming the death of his younger brother, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller. In his new memoir, 'Let Us Do Good,' Siller describes the profound impact of that day and how his brother's sacrifice became the driving force behind his life's work.
Siller's brother Stephen was one of nearly 3,000 people killed in the worst terrorist attack in American history. On that morning, Stephen had finished his shift but turned his car around to return to his firehouse, ultimately succumbing to the attacks at the World Trade Center. Frank Siller spent hours trying to reach his brother via walkie-talkie on their shared Nextel phone, a futile effort that ended when a firefighter named Richie Obermeyer called from Ground Zero.
"No one is coming home, Frank," Obermeyer told him, a statement that confirmed Frank's deepest fears. "No one."
The news plunged Siller's family into grief. Stephen Siller, who was orphaned at age ten, left behind five children and his wife, Sally. The Siller siblings gathered at Sally's house to offer support, pledging their love and assistance.
Growing up, the Siller brothers were guided by the philosophy of Saint Francis of Assisi, particularly the quote, "while we have time, let us do good." This principle deeply influenced Stephen, and after his death, it became Frank Siller's mission.
To honor Stephen's memory and the sacrifices of all first responders on 9/11, the Siller family established the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The foundation's work continues Stephen's legacy by assisting America's heroes and their families. Siller's memoir, 'Let Us Do Good,' was published on September 1, 2026, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.