In this 25th anniversary year of September 11, 2001, Tunnel to Towers has committed to delivering 343 mortgage-free homes in tribute to the 343 FDNY heroes who perished on 9/11, through our Smart Home Program, our Gold Star Family Home Program, and our Fallen First Responder Home Program. The Foundation has announced the first three mortgage-free smart homes of 2026, provided to United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Joanna R. Jones, United States Army Staff Sergeant Terry Knight, and United States Army Sergeant First Class Douglas William Franklin.
United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Joanna R. Jones joined the military shortly after graduating from high school, inspired by her family’s military service and the profound impact of witnessing the events of September 11, 2001. After training, she spent most of her service in Iraq in support of Phantom Fury. During her deployment, Jones sustained multiple traumatic brain injuries from mortar strikes. Despite ongoing treatment, she continued to serve on full duty until her injuries and symptoms of toxic exposure made it impossible for her to continue. Receiving support from Tunnel to Towers in the form of a mortgage-free smart home has been transformative for Jones, providing renewed hope for a brighter future.
United States Army Staff Sergeant Terry Knight was immersed in military culture from a young age, having grown up in a Navy town. Prior to his career in the Army, he honorably served in the Navy Reserve. He later trained as a medic and completed the Army’s Practical Nurse Course. His career included numerous assignments, with the final one being with the 91st Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, where he trained soldiers, sailors, and airmen in life-saving medical skills before deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. In July of 2014, Knight medically retired from the military following a service-connected diagnosis of ALS. The donation of a mortgage-free smart home has allowed Knight to continue to live a life of positivity and resilience in the face of adversity, with the dignity and independence he deserves.
United States Army Sergeant First Class Douglas William Franklin joined the military in 1980, inspired by his father’s service as a United States Marine. His career led him overseas, where he served in Civil Affairs. Franklin found deep fulfillment in this role, knowing that his work made a tangible difference in the lives of others. He helped build girls’ schools in Yemen and assisted with drilling for clean water, projects that left lasting impacts on the communities he served. In 2007, while deployed in Iraq, Franklin was injured by two mortar blasts that detonated nearby. He sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, tunnel vision, and legal blindness. His specially-adapted, mortgage-free smart home has provided him and his family with a renewed sense of hope and stability.
The delivery of these three smart homes is just the beginning of our tribute to the brave souls lost on September 11, 2001. For more information about our 25th Anniversary initiative, please visit https://t2t.org/25-anniversary/.