Thanks to the generosity of friends like you, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation was honored to offer a mortgage-free home to the family of fallen Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher Chambers.

On January 11, 2024, Christopher and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram were reported missing while conducting a nighttime raid on a ship illegally transporting advanced lethal aid from Iran to Houthi forces in Yemen.

Facing 8-foot swells, Nathan fell into the water while attempting to board the ship and Christopher entered the water to try and rescue him. Tragically, both men lost their lives.

Christopher was 37 years old. He enlisted in the Navy in 2012 and graduated from SEAL training in 2014. He leaves behind a wife and a young daughter.

"When one of his brothers-in-arms fell into the water, Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher Chambers did not hesitate to put his own life in danger to try and save him. Tunnel to Towers is honored to step in, to ensure that the family he left behind has the support they need during this time of mourning," said Frank Siller, Chairman & CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

The Tunnel to Towers Gold Star Family Home Program honors the legacy of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country by providing the surviving spouses and young children with mortgage-free homes.

Sincerely,

Frank Siller
CEO & Chairman
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Last year, United States Navy Chief Petty Officer Michael Thomas Ernst passed away during a skydiving training accident.

Michael was born and raised in Cohasset, Massachusetts, a coastal town south of Boston. He was one of six children. As a child, he loved playing lacrosse, football, the drums, running, and hanging out with friends. Michael and his family valued service for others, cooking meals for families for Thanksgiving and dropping off Christmas gifts to the less fortunate children around the Boston area. Michael and his future wife, Megan, met during college and were friends, however, they did not date until after they graduated.

While on a trip to a Holocaust concentration camp, Michael felt the despair and sense of evil that existed. He felt driven to make the world a better place. This is what inspired him to join the United States Navy in 2010. He loved the sense of brotherhood in the military and the fulfillment he felt when participating in acts of service. Michael's ultimate goals were to be a good teammate and make a positive difference in the world. Throughout his career, he was awarded numerous medals-including the Silver Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat Device, Army Commendation Medal, four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, three Combat Action Ribbons, and the Presidential Unit Citation.

Currently, Megan lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with her children. She plans to eventually return to work in financial operations. She and her husband were involved in the community at the command, helping with house projects or helping when a family had a baby. The grief of losing her husband is still fresh, however, Megan enjoys watching her children getting excited about school and learning new things, such as how to ride a bicycle.

Megan is grateful to Tunnel to Towers, and our supporters like you, for lifting the financial burden of a mortgage off of her shoulders. She feels her husband in their home and it is a safe space for her and her children. Megan describes that owning her beloved home without a mortgage is the biggest gift she has ever received. Through it all, Megan would like people to know how kind her husband was, his passion for helping others when they were in need never went unnoticed, even though he was a quiet professional. He was able to balance family and military life and excel at both. His impact on many people will eternally be loved and missed.

As the New Jersey community prepared to come together to mourn the loss of Newark firefighters Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr., the Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced its plans to support the families these heroes left behind.

Through your generous giving, the Foundation paid off the mortgage on the Union, New Jersey, family home of Wayne Brooks Jr., and provided financial support to Augusto Acabou's fiancée.

The two men died while battling a fire on board a cargo ship.

Wayne leaves behind wife, Michele, and daughters, Taylor and Dasia. Augusto was engaged and living with his fiancée.

When Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO Frank Siller spoke to Wayne's wife Michele, she was so overcome, all that she could say was "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Firefighter Wayne, a 16-year veteran, was stationed at Ladder 4. Firefighter Augusto had nearly a decade of service and was stationed at Engine 16.

"These two heroes had more than a quarter century of service to their community, impacting a countless number of lives. This tragedy is a reminder that there are no routine calls. Firefighters risk their lives every time they answer a call. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation will honor the bravery of Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks by supporting the loved ones they left behind," said Siller.

Through your kindness, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's Fallen First Responder Home Program pays off the mortgages for the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters whoare killed in the line of duty.

It was on an early June day that Worcester Police Department Patrol Officer Enmanuel "Manny" Familia passed away while attempting to rescue a drowning child.

Manny was born in La Vega, Dominican Republic, and he and his family moved to the United States when he was just eight years old to pursue a better life. They settled in Worcester, Massachusetts where he and his three siblings were raised by their parents. The Familia family was a family of God with strong beliefs who supported each other no matter what.

Through his church, Manny and his future wife, Jennifer, met and became friends instantly. Together, they attended the same catechism classes and were members of the youth group, so their friendship grew closer over the years. While they were in high school, they began dating and had been together ever since.

Manny loved working with people and wanted to help his community, which led him to join the Worcester Police Department. Prior to that, he worked for the Clark University Campus Police Department, Quinsigamond Community College Campus Police Department, and Oakham Police Department. His goals were to always make his family proud and give back to his community. Throughout his honorable career, Manny was a member of the Tactical Patrol Force, the Crisis Intervention Team, a Crisis Negotiator, and a Department Recruitment Officer. Manny was also training to become a member of the SWAT Team around the time of his death.

Manny's pride and joy were his children, who he risked his life every day for in order to give them the best life. Manny was a great father which was his biggest accomplishment. He was his children's hero and he is the reason Jennifer and their children continue to push forward every day. They will continue to make him proud the same way he made them proud.

Adam Mayo decided to pursue something meaningful for himself and for others and decided to join the USMC. He served seven-and-a-half prideful years serving in VMGR 352 and VMGR 234 units, as well as two times in Iraq and once in Afghanistan. He loved the camaraderie in the military as well as traveling, serving, and doing something worth while. His aspirations after retirement from the USMC included joining a federal law enforcement agency.

While on a training deployment in Thailand, Adam was separated from other Marines, where he unfortunately had his neck hit and twisted several times. He was not found for several hours, where it was ultimately discovered that he sustained injuries to his C5 vertebrae. Because of this, he was left paralyzed from the chest down, as well as in his hands. Recovery for Adam was very tough as he spent four months in a hospital, followed by two years in outpatient therapy gaining as much strength as possible.

In the future, Adam is most excited to continue to watch his children grow as they become their own individuals. He is also anxious to grow old with his wife and enjoy life with each other. Upon receiving a specially-adapted smart home from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Adam and his family have a huge financial burden lifted off of their shoulders. He is eternally grateful for the Foundation constantly reaching out to check on his family and making them feel loved and cared for.

Your continued support allows the Tunnel to Towers Foundation to build mortgage-free smart homes for our most catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Each home is designed to address the unique needs of each individual like Adam.

United States Army Lieutenant Colonel Todd Douglas Thomson passed away peacefully surrounded by his family after a lengthy, courageous battle with cancer attributed to exposure to toxins during his military service.

Todd joined the United States Army Reserves as a Private First Class, and was accepted into the West Virginia Military Academy where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. Todd felt a strong sense of duty towards his country, so serving in the Army was his way of providing for the country he loved. From the moment he enlisted, Todd's primary goal was to lead others and become an officer.

Todd served as Commander for the 309th Transportation Company in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as the primary logistics staff officer for the 11th Psychological Operations Task Force in Baghdad, Iraq where he received the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service. He loved working alongside his fellow soldiers and was dedicated to ensuring their safety was of the utmost importance. Todd was set to deploy to Afghanistan, but was unable to go due to his cancer diagnosis, and also had to decline a position as a Battalion Commander when he and his family were informed that his condition was terminal.

In 1998 during the Liberian civil wars, Marine Corps Lance Corporal Abraham Tarwoe, then just 12 years old, fled the violence in his home country to start a new life in the United States.

Abraham attended West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey and joined the Marines in 2009. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in August of 2010, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Abraham was killed from wounds he suffered during his second deployment to Afghanistan.

"His whole dream was to become a Marine," said Abraham's uncle who raised him after the family fled the civil war in Liberia.

Abraham was laid to rest with full military honors in his home village of Flehla, Bong County, Liberia, a month later. It was the first time he had returned to his native country.

This brave Marine left behind his wife, Juah, and their son, Avant. Thanks to the kindness of our generous donors, the family received a mortgage-free home through the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's Gold Star Family Home Program in Pawtucket, RI.