Tunnel to Towers mobile 9/11 exhibit makes stop in Jefferson City for 25th anniversary

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Tunnel to Towers "Never Forget" mobile exhibit arrived in Jefferson City on Wednesday for the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

The exhibit travels around the country in a tractor-trailer, featuring artifacts from 9/11 and is ran by New York City firefighters who responded to the attack. The exhibit is designed to give visitors an idea of what it felt like to be in New York City on that day.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is named in honor of firefighter Stephen Siller, who was killed in the South Tower on 9/11.

Siller was on his way out of town on 9/11, but returned to New York upon hearing the news. By the time he arrived, however, the bridges into town had been closed. The only way into the city was through underground tunnels.

"He put on his bunker coat, his pants, his boots, his helmet, and he ran about 2.5 miles through the tunnel, which is about a 2-mile tunnel to the Trade Center," said John Bruckner, who is a retired New York firefighter. "And unfortunately, when the South Tower collapsed, Steven was killed, as were all the members of his company."

Siller's older brothers established the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which puts on annual runs through the tunnels of New York City as well as raising funds to provide housing assistance for first responders.

The exhibit will be at the south lawn of the Missouri Capitol until Sunday.