Steel Across America: Tunnel to Towers Foundation Commemorates 25 Years Since 9/11 at NASCAR Event at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California 

The tour will next visit the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California on June 23. 

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA [June 21, 2026] — From Friday, June 19^th to Sunday, June 21^st, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s ‘Steel Across America’  tour spent the weekend at the NASCAR event at the Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California. 

Marking a special stop on a nationwide tour in honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Steel Across America brought a steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center to San Diego, offering attendees for the NASCAR race a rare opportunity to experience this sacred artifact firsthand.  

As part of the weekend’s activities, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation surprised U.S. Navy Veteran Douglas Hill and his family with a mortgage-free home suited to Douglas’s specific lifestyle needs. Douglas Hill’s military career was abruptly altered when a motor vehicle accident resulted in the traumatic amputation of both legs, a traumatic brain injury, and multiple fractures. Despite these catastrophic injuries and disruption to daily life, Douglas demonstrates extraordinary courage and resilience, refusing to be defined solely by his tragedy. Today, he lives with his wife Misty and their three children, embodying a life of dignity and hope that inspires those around him and reflects both the profound cost of military service and the power of human determination. 

“You always hear about the good that Tunnel to Towers does for our country’s veterans, first responders, and their families, but I can’t believe I’m the one they’re celebrating this time. It’s a beautiful and surreal feeling,” said Hill. “It’s been a joy to bring my kids to this event over Father’s Day weekend – I’m proud of them every day, and I’m proud to play even a small part in the Steel Across America tour.” 

The Steel Across America truck was viewable to guests all weekend long, joining the festivities as the NASCAR activation made history as the first-ever points race on an active U.S. military installation at Naval Base Coronado. The presence of the steel invited solemn reflection on the legacy of the nation’s heroes, the journey of the Steel Across America tour, and the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to serving those who have sacrificed for this country. 

“With every mortgage-free home that Tunnel to Towers provides for America’s heroes, we aim to give back to them in every way, including giving back their independence where we can. My Dad would have loved to have seen all of the ways we have been able to support and honor our nation’s first responders and military servicemen,” said Stephen Siller Jr., son of fallen FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller for whom Tunnel to Towers was founded. 

The steel is an everlasting reminder of the selfless courage and service of first responders who gave their lives on September 11, 2001, including New York City firefighter Stephen Siller. Recovered from Ground Zero in the days following the attacks by the thousands of first responders who answered the call, the beam stands as a symbol of sacrifice, resilience, and the unbreakable American spirit that emerged from tragedy. 

The media kit containing photo and video assets from the NASCAR weekend in San Diego can be found here. 

On June 23^rd, Steel Across America will make its next official stop at the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California.