Mortgage payoffs are part of Tunnel to Towers’ 4th Annual Season of Hope

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is honored to announce it has paid, in full, the mortgages on the Missouri homes of three fallen first responders.

The Foundation paid off the mortgages for

Missouri State Trooper Lonnie Lejeune died on December 10th, 2021 from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Lejeune enlisted in the Navy in 1982 and proudly served as a Submarine Sonar Basic Maintenance Technician aboard the USS Hammer until 1988. He returned home and began his law enforcement career, and was joined the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

In 2003, Lonnie returned to the Navy, enlisting in the U.S. Navy Reserves as a Master at Arms First Class. During his time in the reserves, he deployed to multiple locations and was selected for numerous honors and awards. His greatest Navy accomplishment was being promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer in 2006.

Missouri State Trooper Lonnie Raymond Lejeune is survived by his wife of 21 years, Jeannie, and his two sons.

Cedar Hill, Missouri Battalion Chief Marvin Shaffrey died on November 2nd, 2021 after contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Shaffrey began his career as a junior firefighter on October 1st, 1979 at the age of 13. He served his community and the Cedar Hill Fire Protection District for over 42 years. He left behind his wife and high school sweetheart, Anastasia, and their two daughters.

On September 10th, 2021, Deputy Team Leader for PA-1 DMAT and Deputy Coordinator for Allegheny County Emergency Services David “DJ” Johnson passed away due to a 9/11-related illness.

Johnson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and at 16, he became a volunteer firefighter alongside his father and grandfather, sparking his lifelong devotion to serving the community. Johnson joined the fire department full-time in the mid-1970s and became a certified paramedic in 1981. Johnson is survived by his wife, Darla; their four children, Jessica, Justin, Abigayle, and Erika; daughter-in-law, Kim; son-in-law, Joshua; grandsons, Mason and Caleb; mother and father-in-law, Eileen and Stanley; sisters, Dana and Diane; sister-in-law, Renee; brothers-in-law, Curt and Chuck; nephews, Edd, Henry, Chuck, Joshua and Joseph; and niece, Amelia.

“This holiday season, we honor those families who have sacrificed so much for all of us. To the families who are still grieving the recent loss of a loved one and to those who are enduring another year with an empty seat at the table, Tunnel to Towers is honored to celebrate your loved one’s service and ensure that you and your family can stay in your home forever,”  said Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO  Frank Siller.

This year alone, Tunnel to Towers will deliver over 200 mortgage-free homes across the country to America’s heroes and their families.

Join us on our mission to provide mortgage-free homes to the heroes and the families they leave behind by donating $11 per month at t2t.org.

Media Contact: Trevor Tamsen – 916-524-0941 – Trevor.Tamsen@t2t.org

About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is dedicated to honoring the sacrifice of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. For more than 20 years, the Foundation has supported our nation’s first responders, veterans, and their families by providing these heroes and the families they leave behind with mortgage-free homes.

For more about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and its commitment to DO GOOD, please visit t2t.org.

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