A Big Fat Thank You.
You know what you did!
Tomorrow morning, thousands of us will run the Tunnel to Towers 5K through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in New York, just like fireman Stephen Siller did in order to try and save lives on September 11th, 2001. Sadly, Stephen didn’t make it after entering the South Tower.
Since his passing, his brother and the team at Tunnel to Towers (rated a whopping 98.23 out of 100 on Charity Navigator for its work) have embarked upon improving the lives of others who suffered as a result of 9/11, and as a result of serving their country. So far, they have built hundreds of homes for heroes and their families, while governments in the West are shamefully neglecting veterans and even telling active military to use food stamps.
So far this year, you all have helped me raise over $15,000, including now over $13,000 for this run alone.
That’s why I wanted to take a minute to say a great big THANK YOU to everyone who has sponsored my run tomorrow. I personally give to Tunnel to Towers and spend a lot of my free time (yes, I have some) raising whatever awareness I can through activities like this.
I understand that for a lot of you, times are hard, too. So don’t worry if you really cannot give.
But for those who can, and haven’t yet, perhaps you will take a moment to live the advice of St. Francis of Assisi, who inspired the Tunnel to Towers slogan: let us do good.
Pleasure is short; punishment, everlasting. Suffering is slight; glory, infinite. Many are called, few are chosen. Brothers, while we have time, let us do good.
– St. Francis of Assisi
I cannot promise you I will break any records, tomorrow morning. But I can promise you that whether it is Tunnel to Towers or other worthy charities, I will continue to use the time and the platform I have been blessed with to try and improve the lives of others. I hope you can join me.
Once again, thank you.
Hopefully you’ll see my updates from the day on my Instagram tomorrow!
Raheem
We are blessed to have you in our country particularly at this time.
I was a first responder at the very first bombing, received a medal for it !