First responders, veterans, and more honor 9/11 victims with Chicago's Tunnel to Towers climb

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago-area first responders came together on Saturday morning to honor the men and women who never made it home after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Hundreds of climbers are putting their endurance to the test at the inaugural Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb Chicago.

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First responders, military veterans, and everyday people gathered at 150 North Riverside Plaza to climb 50 floors to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001.

This first year of this event is meant to pay homage to the 343 New York City firefighters, police officers and paramedics who ran toward danger 25 years ago.

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The event was created to honor the heroic life and death of Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter who lost his life on 9/11 after strapping on 60 pounds of gear and running through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center.

Saturday's climb is one of more than 100 events the organization is sponsoring across the country to support their foundation which provides mortgage free homes to the families of fallen first responders and gold star families.

Proceeds from the effort also help provide smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. In a special tribute to the FDNY firefighters who were lost in the terrorist attacks, the foundation is delivering mortgage free homes to the families they left behind.