Honoring Fallen Heroes: Tunnel to Towers Steel Across America Tour Stops in Boston

The Tunnel to Towers Steel Across America tour made a poignant stop in Boston, honoring the fallen heroes of 9/11. The tour is set to culminate in New York City shortly after September 11.

It features a preserved 21-foot steel beam from the South Tower of the World Trade Center, on display since May. This significant relic was brought to the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial located in Boston’s Seaport.

“For us as first responders and veterans, what this means as we come up on the 25th anniversary is personal. It’s all about educating the next generation and not forgetting the sacrifices, not only made on 9/11 but what we’ve endured in the 20 years after in all theaters of combat,” said Dan Magoon, executive director of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes.

During the tour stop, guests paid their respects as they approached the 21-foot, 16,900-pound beam, a tangible memory of the World Trade Center’s South Tower. This symbolizes resilience and remembrance during the Steel Across America tour.

Mike Eruzione, captain of the historic 1980 U.S. Winter Olympics hockey team, honored friends who were passengers on one of the hijacked planes in the 9/11 attacks. He emphasized the emotional impact Tunnel to Towers has had on the nation, helping 9/11 families, first responders, and veterans rebuild, funded by charity runs nationwide.

“It touched the heart of our country. It touched the souls of our country,” Eruzione remarked.

The event united first responders from Massachusetts alongside law enforcement. Guests could approach the 16,900-pound beam, reflecting on its history and significance.

Daniel McCarthy, a Boston resident with New York roots, expressed the gravity of the beam’s history. “It’s just crazy to think about where it once stood, the people that worked inside the buildings, the people that rushed inside to save those people, and what happened when it all came down,” he said.

The steel beam will continue to travel, having been presented at Fenway Park Wednesday night and previously at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The tour will further stop at the White House in Washington, D.C. on September 8, continuing its journey across America as a reminder of the impacts of 9/11.