This September 11th, marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I will be hiking Monserate Mountain in Fallbrook, CA, to raise funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in memory of FDNY firefighter Michael J. Elferis.

Monserate Mountain’s summit elevation matches the top floor of the World Trade Center, with markers along the trail indicating the height of WTC floors. I will be completing this hike again carrying a firehose while wearing a weighted vest.

My goal is to raise $2,977; 1 for each life lost on that fateful day, and donate the funds in memory of Mikey. Mikey was a hockey coach in my hometown of College Point, Queens. He and his brother Joey spent weekend nights playing at the local outdoor roller hockey rink with us, drawing neighborhood teens into the game and keeping us off the streets.

At just 27 years old, Mikey, serving with FDNY Engine 22, lost his life in the South Tower on September 11, 2001.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation honors the sacrifice of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who also gave his life saving others on 9/11. Today, the foundation carries on Stephen’s legacy by providing mortgage-free homes to gold star families and fallen first responder families, as well as building specially adapted smart homes for severely injured veterans and first responders.

(Photos are from this same effort, in 2021)