BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. — Midlands firefighters and residents will honor first responders who passed away on 9/11 by participating in a 5k.
The race is in honor of Stephen Siller, a fire firefighter who served in New York City.
According to the Tunnel to Towers website, Siller finished up a shift and was on his way to play golf with his brothers on September 11th, 2001.
When he got word that one of the towers had been struck, he headed back to help Brooklyn's Squad One. While attempting to reach Manhattan, the Brooklyn Tunnel was closed off and Siller ran, with his 60 pounds of gear, to the World Trade Center Towers.
Siller would later lose his life that day after saving others.
The Facebook page for the event says, "Proceeds from the 5K will benefit the building of smart homes for quadruple and triple amputee veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation's "Building for America's Bravest" program."
Shane Summer, the assistant chief at the Batesburg-Leesville Department, has been working there for the past nine and a half years. He says they look forward to this race every single year.
"We're going over to Tunnel to Towers, the Stephen Siller fundraiser 5k. We go every year. I think this is the fourth or fifth year to help cook hot dog and hamburgers for the participants."
Every year, the firefighters from the Batesburg-Leesville Fire Department will help cook more than 3,000 hot dogs and hamburgers.
Some people run in firefighter gear to honor Siller, first responders, and military members who died on America's darkest day.
Summer says he's looking forward to the event and seeing other first responders he doesn't normally get to see.
"It means everything. We started years ago in the fire service and originally got into fire service to want to help people," said Summer. "This is exactly what we're doing."
The event will begin Friday night at 7 p.m. in front of the Columbia Convention Center.