Latest news with #TunnelToTowers
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
Tunnel to Towers Foundation pays off mortgage of fallen Binghamton firefighter JR Gaudet
Following the tragic death of Binghamton firefighter John "JR" Gaudet, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgage of Gaudet's home in honor of Independence Day. Gaudet, 40, was killed in the line of duty on Feb. 12 after responding to a major fire on Main Street in Binghamton. The fire, which was ultimately ruled arson, led to the March arrest of 36-year-old Patrick K. Shea after the Binghamton Police Detective Bureau determined there was "human involvement" in the blaze. While crews battled the blaze on the night of Feb. 12, a wall collapsed, trapping Gaudet beneath the debris. He was extricated from the rubble but later pronounced dead at the hospital. Gaudet was survived by his wife, Felly Gaudet, and their three young children. On July 2, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which was created in the wake of 9/11, announced that the organization has paid off Gaudet's family home through its Fallen First Responders Home Program. The program is designed to pay off the mortgages "for the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty or pass away from 9/11-related illnesses and leave behind young children." "The goal is to provide stability following the sudden and tragic loss of a loved one," the organization stated in a release. "The foundation ensures the family of these fallen heroes can stay in their home, school, and community, without the financial burden of a mortgage." More: Binghamton firefighter died when wall collapsed at fire scene. What to know about case Gaudet's mortgage is one of 25 nationwide the foundation is paying off this July 4. "Firefighter John Gaudet lost his life battling a fire, confronting the danger and the risk head-on, with the same determination he had every day and working every call for help," said Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. "Tunnel to Towers Foundation is honored to ensure the family can stay in their home in the community he worked tirelessly to protect." Gaudet was a Binghamton native who attended Binghamton High School, Binghamton University, and SUNY Cortland, where he played lacrosse and later returned as a coach. This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Tunnel to Towers Foundation pays off mortgage of John 'JR' Gaudet
Fox News
02-07-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Tunnel to Towers Celebrates Independence Day by Delivering 25 Mortgage-Free Homes to Heroes
As America celebrates its independence, Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, joined Fox Nation's Abby Hornacek to highlight the profound meaning of the 4th of July: honoring those who secure our freedoms. This Independence Day, Tunnel to Towers is delivering 25 mortgage-free homes to deserving heroes. The foundation's cornerstone initiative involves building custom "smart homes" for catastrophically injured service members, and first responders, a mission inspired by the needs of quadruple amputee Sergeant Brendan Marrocco. Siller noted the program's growth from a handful to potentially 100-150 smart homes next year, providing independence to those who've made immense sacrifices. Beyond injured veterans, T2T also provides mortgage-free homes to fallen first responders and Gold Star families whose loved ones died in the line of duty. Siller shared moving accounts of recipients, many feeling undeserving despite their profound sacrifices. He underscored America's moral obligation: "If you're willing to risk your life... we're gonna take care of your family." Siller urged viewers to join this crucial mission of gratitude. "Make that promise," he implored, asking all to visit and donate just $11 a month to ensure these heroes and their families are cared for.
CBS News
29-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
When the families of first responders and veterans need a lifeline, Tunnels to Towers steps in
At Robert Kirsopp's home in Hampton township, his wife, Rosalyn, gives him all the credit. "95% of this house is him," she said. It's a 1960s house they bought as a fixer-upper. From the lounging space to the kitchen walls, Robert left his mark. "He cuts walls, he does base boards, he puts on additions, along with his police job," Rosalyn explained. In his police job, Robert served twenty-five years with the Hampton Township Police Department, retired as a sergeant. Before that, and straight out of high school, Robert served overseas in the Army. His life's work was a labor of love. "(Robert was) dedicated," Rosalyn said. "Dedicated to service, the house, and his family." He now leaves it all to his family. Robert Kirsopp beat stage four colorectal cancer after diagnosis, in 2019, "and then it came back, and it came back with force," said Rosalyn. Colorectal cancer took his life on May 1, 2024. "I was mostly thinking about their future and how I was going to be able to provide for them," She said. "He just wanted us to be ok." By us, she's referring to Robert and Rosalyn's three kids, who are college and high school-aged. Now, the non-profit Tunnel to Towers is taking some of that mental load off the family's shoulders. Tunnel to Towers paid the Kirsopp's mortgage. As a non-profit, it's helping American heroes, since 9/11, by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with children. "Like I said, it was one of disbelief," Rosalyn said. "With the mortgage being paid off, that puts a little bit more ease to it." The Kirsopps are just one of the 200 families nationwide who had their mortgage paid off this year. Now all she feels is gratitude. "They are just so giving and but on the same end, I'm like you, thank you, they're like no thank you," she said. It's a feeling of gratitude for keeping the model police car, Mario Lemieux jersey, and all the memorabilia under the same roof, where Sergeant Kirsopp took his last breath. Also, gratitude for Tunnel to Towers helping a family stay in a house that a warrior made a home. Tunnel to Towers also provides specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured first responders and veterans. You can apply to this nonprofit online. For more information on Tunnel to Towers, click here. You can also join in the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run and Walk in Pittsburgh. It's coming up on September 13th at 8:00 AM. To sign up for that event, head to this link.
Fox News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Tunnel to Towers Chairman Frank Siller on Tackling Veteran Homelessness: "We Must Do It"
In a compelling interview with Fox Nation host Abby Hornacek, Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, shared his unwavering commitment to eradicating veteran homelessness in America. Siller passionately declared, "This is unacceptable in America to have a homeless veteran on the street... we must do it." Recognizing the immense scale of the problem—an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 homeless veterans—Tunnel to Towers has taken over 10,000 veterans off the streets in the past two years. The foundation employs a national case management program, collaborating with over a thousand local non-profits, HUD, and the VA to provide housing, financial assistance, and crucial comprehensive support, including mental health services. Siller emphasized the profound debt owed to veterans who "put it all on the line" for national security, especially after 9/11. Beyond individual placements, the foundation is building "veteran villages" across the country, converting donated land and hotels into beautiful, dignified apartments with on-site support services for reintegration into society. With 19 such projects underway and a goal of over 300, Siller echoed President Donald Trump's commitment to ending veteran homelessness. He urged viewers to support this vital mission by donating $11 a month at stressing that their contributions make a "tremendous difference."
Fox News
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
FOX News Podcasts celebrate ‘Great Americans' with new series showcasing heroes ahead of Independence Day
FOX News Podcasts has launched a special "Great Americans" podcast series leading up to America's birthday on July 4. The "Great Americans" series spotlights inspiring Americans on some of FOX News Podcasts' most listened-to talk and news programs. The series will feature 20 special episodes released across the popular podcast feeds of "The Brian Kilmeade Show," "FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla," "The Guy Benson Show" and the "FOX News Rundown Podcast." This series, which celebrates well-known figures and everyday individuals who have significantly impacted the nation in their own unique ways, launched on June 5. New episodes will be released each Thursday through July 3. LifeVac CEO Arthur Lih, country music star John Rich, West Point graduate and combat veteran Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, and Tunnel to Towers CEO Frank Siller are among the other patriots that have been featured in the series. FOX News Podcasts features a variety of programs, including "Perino on Politics," "The Bret Baier Podcast," "The Untold Story with Martha MacCallum," "The Big Ben Show," "Kennedy Saves the World," "Livin' the Bream," "Jesse Watters Primetime Monologues," "Fox Nation Investigates" and "The FOX True Crime Podcast with Emily Compagno." To listen to "Great Americans," visit Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
