Tunnel to Towers Foundation to Pay Mortgages of 84th Precinct's NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu

Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos. Photo: MK Metz

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation will take over mortgage payments for fallen 84th Precinct Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the foundation, said on Tuesday.

The officers were gunned down in cold blood on Saturday in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

Siller said in a statement that he realized the foundation had to help out when he heard Cuomo raising concerns about the mortgage on Officer Liu's house.

The mission of the foundation is to honor the sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001.

On that day, Stephen had just gotten off the late shift at Squad 1 in Park Slope. He was on his way to play golf with his brothers when his scanner told of the first plane hitting the Twin Towers. When he heard the news, Stephen called his wife Sally and asked her to tell his brothers he would catch up with them later, and then returned to Squad 1 to get his gear.

Stephen drove his truck to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, but it was already closed. So he strapped 60 lbs. of gear to his back, rushed on foot through gridlocked traffic and ran from the Tunnel to the Towers where he gave up his life while saving others.

Tunnel to Towers is set to hold a press conference Friday to announce the details, according to Gov. Cuomo.

To contribute, visit the Tunnel to Towers website.


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