Want to honor the 343 firefighters who died on 9/11? Here’s how to donate blood in their memory and see a unique tribute to that tragic day

Stephen Siller had just finished his shift as a New York City firefighter when the first plane struck the World Trade Center on 9/11.

He was on his way to play golf with his brothers when he heard the call over the scanner. He turned around and went back to his station, Squad 1 in Brooklyn.

The fire vehicles already had left. Siller grabbed his gear and headed there in his own truck. He got as far as the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. It was closed for security. That was not going to stop him.

Determined to carry out his duty, Siller strapped on his 60 pounds of gear and ran through the tunnel to reach the Twin Towers — where he perished.

Siller was 34. He left behind a wife and five children.

On July 16 and 17, Lehigh Valley residents can learn more about the ultimate sacrifice that Siller and 342 of his firefighter colleagues made that day at a blood drive held by Miller-Keystone Blood Center.

The center’s location in Hanover Township, Northampton County (just outside Bethlehem) will be hosting the 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit. It was created by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation formed to honor Siller.

The 1,100-square-foot exhibit tells the story of 9/11. It includes artifacts such as steel beams from the towers. There are recordings of radio transmissions made by emergency crews. Tours are conducted by New York City firefighters who were there on that tragic day.

While visiting the exhibit, please consider making a small sacrifice yourself by donating blood.

Miller-Keystone’s goal is to collect 343 pints that weekend, one for each of the firefighters who gave their lives. The firefighters rushed to the World Trade Center to save others. By donating blood, you are saving lives, too.

We’re still in a blood shortage. By donating, you will be helping local people, as the Lehigh Valley’s hospitals get their blood from Miller-Keystone.

If 343 units are collected, they may help as many as 1,000 people, said Kathy Rowinski, account manager for Miller-Keystone Blood Center.

It was her idea to bring the 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit to the Lehigh Valley. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Miller-Keystone have similar missions.

“The ultimate goal is that we help people and we make people’s lives better,” Rowinski told me.

The foundation and the blood center have another common goal — sharing their stories with new generations who can support their cause.

It’s been nearly 21 years since 9/11. There’s a whole generation that was born after it who may not be aware of what happened.

“It’s the same thing with donating blood,” Rowinski said. “Our older population that were coming in every 56 days routinely, they’re getting older. We’re losing some of them. It’s important for us to bring that younger generation in and get them to be a lifelong blood donor.”

Rowinski became aware of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation by participating in the foundation’s annual 5K run and walk. The course traces the steps of Siller, through the tunnel to the towers site.

It’s an emotional event.

“There’s 40,000 people there and there’s firefighters in full gear, there’s Army men in full gear, there’s different military branches all in full gear. I tell people, next to having my son and getting married, it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever done,” Rowinski said.

The foundation has several programs, including building smart homes for soldiers who have been catastrophically injured during their service, so they can regain their independence. A smart home recipient from Philadelphia will be at the blood center during the event, Rowinski said.

The foundation also works to pay off the mortgages of fallen law enforcement officers and firefighters who lose their lives in the line of duty, or to 9/11 related illness, and leave behind young children.

Among those who have benefited from the foundation’s generosity is the family of Deputy U.S. Marshal Christopher Hill, who was shot and killed in Harrisburg in 2018 while attempting to serve an arrest warrant.

And the foundation provides mortgage-free homes to surviving spouses of military personnel who give their lives for our country and leave behind young children.

The 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit will be at Miller-Keystone Blood Center, 1465 Valley Center Parkway, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 16 and 17. The exhibit will be at the blood center’s location in Pittston, Luzerne County (400 Route 315) on July 9 and 10.

Visitors are encouraged to make an appointment to donate blood during their visit. Donations can be scheduled at giveapint.org and 800-B-A-DONOR.

Please become a regular blood donor. It’s a great way to give back to your community. An hour or so of your time can save lives.

And if you donate during this special blood drive, you will be honoring heroes such as Stephen Siller who died trying to save others on 9/11.

Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com

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