A steel beam measuring 21 feet and weighing 16,900 pounds from the South Tower of the World Trade Center has become a cornerstone of remembrance. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has launched the ‘Steel Across America’ tour, honoring the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Indianapolis played host to the tour on August 19, marking the 31st stop of its journey.
The tour is set to cover over 10,500 miles, passing through 21 states and Washington, D.C., before making its way back to New York City for a September 11 commemoration. This steel was retrieved in the aftermath of 9/11, symbolizing the sacrifices of nearly 3,000 victims, including civilians, firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, and military personnel.
‘For the past four months, communities across the country have welcomed this sacred piece of American history with incredible emotion,’ commented Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. ‘Watching people stand in front of that steel, hugging it, praying over it, weeping, reminds me every single day of why we do this work.’
The Indianapolis event commenced with a color guard, a pipes and drums procession, and performances by the Voices of the Indianapolis Fire Department. An invocation from Indianapolis Fire Department Chaplain Mike Gatliff set a solemn tone. Notable speakers included Indianapolis Fire Division Chief Tom Neal and retired Major General Timothy Winslow, both highlighting the legacy of 9/11 and its lasting impact on the community.
Lt. Jack Kielty of the FDNY, serving on the Tunnel to Towers board, noted, ‘Bringing this steel to Indianapolis, and to a museum that has stood for over a century as a tribute to American sacrifice, is deeply moving. Indiana veterans and first responders understand what it means to serve.’
Indiana shared its own connection to the tragic events of 9/11. The state mourned the loss of nine Hoosiers, while the Indianapolis Task Force One dispatched rescuers to Ground Zero, with six members later succumbing to illnesses associated with their recovery efforts.
Scott Nokes, a Marine Corps veteran and Tunnel to Towers recipient, addressed attendees about the profound experience of viewing the steel firsthand. ‘Out of the 2,977 lives that were lost, there’s over 1,000 bodies that were never recovered specifically from Ground Zero in New York,’ Nokes stated. ‘Their souls are in that steel, and if you touch it, you feel it.’
The tour seeks to bridge generational gaps, allowing younger Americans a tangible connection to an event they may not have personally experienced. Following Indianapolis, the tour moved to the Cincinnati Fire Museum, with future stops planned for West Point, Boston, and Washington, D.C.
Upon its return to New York City, Frank Siller alongside his family will carry the beam through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, retracing his brother Stephen Siller’s heroic steps from 25 years ago. However, the procession will not approach the World Trade Center site itself.
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