They protect and save us.
We admire them and aspire to be like them. In uniform, in Our Communities, in every branch of the military, Our Heroes give their all —and sometimes the ultimate sacrifice.
These are their stories. On the eleventh of every month, we celebrate these selfless men and women with profiles of their service. Reflecting on their accomplishments and respecting each challenge overcome. Take note. Take pride. Please join us in honoring them here.
Tunnel to Towers
The morning of September 11, 2001, FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller was just off work when he received news of the attack. His heroic decision to turn around and run through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel toward danger would inspire a movement. Through their grief, his family decided to find a way to honor Stephen and his heroic action. What started as a simple project has grown far beyond what Stephen’s family initially envisioned. Today, Tunnel to Towers Foundation has numerous programs supporting first responder and military heroes and the families who stand with them.
Which is exactly what Kim Weigand tries to give other families of fallen Heroes like her son, Sgt Mike Weigand of the Latimore PA Police Department. “These were not just Police Officers we lost,” she...
He led platoons during three tours of Afghanistan, earning numerous commendations and a Bronze Star. Now he’s an offensive Lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers, representing his team in last year’s Pro Bowl. Yet Alejandro Villanueva...
“Turned down because he was injured, Trey Small never quit on his goal to become a firefighter making a difference in his community. For 11 years, he’s been a vital part of America’s oldest all-volunteer...
When his brother was wounded in WWII, Earl Daff was just a young teen eager to go help. At 17, he had his parents sign waivers to finally let him serve. Which he did proudly...
Motivated by his will to serve after the September 11 attacks, Jonny Castro left art school to join the Army, serving a year in Iraq. Back home, he joined the Philadelphia Police Department and now...
The American Gold Star Mothers in Southwest Florida connect on a level few others can know or share. Their bond was born from the tragic deaths of military sons who served Our Country proudly. Today,...
There was a sense of duty to his fellow human beings. He is remembered for his dedication and a life of service. On his final run rescuing a stranded motorist, a tragic accident killed them...
He was a gunner providing cover for medivac transports. His squadron was last to leave Vietnam. “You functioned as a team and you survived as a team,” he remembers. Yet when they returned to their...
“He was a hero, a protector, a Fayetteville son, and one who truly cared about his community.” NFL Head Coach Bill Belichick talks of his father’s humble beginnings, from the Depression and living in a...
“This job can be life or death,” says veteran Firefighter John McMahon of Fort Myers, FL. “The people you work with are family, all working together to protect families and community. It’s an honor.”
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“His name is Sgt Thomas J. IV,” his mom says proudly. After losing him to an attack in Afghanistan, Leslie Butler became a Gold Star Mom. “Ask us who we are and we’ll tell you...
“Over the years, those words have been a beacon,” says Retired Colonel Gary Richard Steele. “No matter what lays before us, everything we do revolves around them.”
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“If just one person sees this video, if just one person will reach out to someone for help, if one person will say something and it saves their life, it’s worth it.”
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16 years after 9/11, Rex Strickland of the Chantilly, VA Fire Department admires “the same level of selfless service” we all shared then as he does today in Texas, Florida and beyond. “I see everything...
“He was a hero, a protector, a Fayetteville son, and one who truly cared about his community.” Today there is a park in his honor plus annual tributes and candlelight vigils. Yet, there remains a...