Steel Across America: Tunnel to Towers Foundation Commemorates 25 Years Since 9/11 at Pier 27 in San Francisco, California 

The tour will next visit T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA, for the Seattle Mariners vs San Francisco Giants game on Friday, July 17th 

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA [July 10, 2026] — On Friday, July 10th, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s ‘Steel Across America’ tour visited Pier 27 at the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal in San Francisco, California. 

For the twenty-third stop on a nationwide tour in honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Steel Across America brought a steel beam recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center to San Francisco, offering the Bay Area community a rare opportunity to experience this powerful and sacred artifact firsthand. 

The ceremony was hosted by John Carroll, Retired FDNY Battalion Chief and Tunnel to Towers Foundation Board Member, who welcomed guests and guided the formal proceedings. The program opened with a Color Guard and Pipes and Drums procession, followed by a performance of the national anthem by San Francisco EMT Gerald Colbert. San Francisco Fire Department Chaplain Father Gutierrez then delivered the invocation and blessing of the steel. Carroll returned to the stage to retire the colors and deliver opening remarks on the significance of the steel and the tour’s mission before introducing the morning’s speakers. 

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie took the stage to deliver remarks and speak to what it means to welcome this steel to San Francisco, reaffirming the city’s promise to never allow the memory of that day to fade. San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen, who himself responded to Ground Zero in the days following the September 11th attacks, followed with remarks honoring the first responders who gave their lives that day and recognizing the men and women of the San Francisco Fire Department who serve and protect this city every day. 

“This steel beam is a memory of the service and sacrifice of the first responders we know and those we lost on September 11th,” said Mayor Lurie. “For those of us who remember that day, this beam helps us reflect on what we witnessed. And for those who were too young, it turns an abstract moment in history into something tangible. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation carries the spirit of service forward every day, and San Francisco is honored to be part of it.” 

Jen Brekke, Tunnel to Towers Foundation Board Member, was then introduced to the stage. Brekke delivered remarks honoring Stephen Siller’s legacy and the promise that drives Steel Across America from coast to coast, speaking to the Bay Area community about the importance of carrying this story forward to a generation that did not live through that morning. 

“San Francisco understands the cost of courage,” said Brekke “Today, standing here at the water’s edge with a piece of the towers, surrounded by first responders, veterans, and families who have given so much, this is exactly what Steel Across America is about. The duty to Never Forget September 11 belongs to every American, and this city showed that today in the most beautiful way.” 

In a deeply moving moment, Kevin Brugaletta, a Tunnel to Towers Foundation Smart Home recipient, addressed the crowd and shared his personal story offering a powerful and firsthand reminder of the lasting impact of the Foundation’s mission and the real difference it makes in the lives of those who have given everything in service to others. 

As part of the ceremonial proceedings, Carroll presented a commemorative steel flag to San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen. The flag is a custom-built tribute featuring the New York City skyline with the Twin Towers standing tall, incorporating original World Trade Center steel, presented only to those who demonstrate honorable dedication to the work and mission of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.  

Carroll returned to the stage to bring the formal program to a close, after which the steel beam was made available for viewing and reflection before guests were invited upstairs to the Coit Room for a waterfront luncheon and the San Francisco Fire Department Boat Show.