Tunnel to Towers Foundation Delivers 25 Mortgage-Free Homes Across 13 States This Memorial Day

Tunnel to Towers supports Gold Star families and families of fallen first responders nationwide

New York, NY, May 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In observance of Memorial Day and as America approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgages on 25 homes for families of fallen military service members and first responders across 13 states.

The mortgage-free homes honor the legacy of heroes who lost their lives in combat, in the line of duty, or years later from service-related injuries and illnesses.

Since 9/11 inspired a generation of Americans to step forward and serve, Tunnel to Towers continues its mission to ensure the families these heroes left behind will always have a place to call home.

“We stand with every family who has lost a loved one in service to our country,” said Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO Frank Siller. “Whether their sacrifice came in combat or years later due to service-related illness, their courage and commitment will never be forgotten.”

In tribute to the 343 FDNY firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11, the Foundation has committed to delivering 343 mortgage-free homes this year to Gold Star families, fallen first responder families, and injured veterans and first responders.

This Memorial Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation paid off the mortgages for the families of:

Air Force Senior Airman Austin Wampler
Marine Corps Sergeant Juan Calderon
Marine Corps Sergeant Darin Walker
Sheridan Police Department Sergeant Nevada Krinkee
Army Sergeant Michael Verardo
Marine Corps Sergeant Corey Orel
Air Force Technical Sergeant and Marine Corps Corporal Jason Perkins
Coast Guard Aviation Maintenance Technician 2^nd Class Joshua Nichols
Navy and Air Force Staff Sergeant Steven Lilley
Lorain Police Officer Phillip Wagner
Marine Corps Sergeant Adan Gonzales Jr.
Army Specialist John L. Maresca Jr.
Army Colonel Jason Lafferty
Army Specialist Nathaniel Rojas
Army Staff Sergeant Kyle Kotzen
Army Specialist Matthew Ramsey
Army Sergeant George Wright
Army Staff Sergeant Irving Hernandez
Army Staff Sergeant Robert Thomas
Navy Petty Officer Second Class Derrick Miles Sr.
Virginia Beach Fire Investigator Matthew Gallina
Navy Senior Petty Officer Keith Ingraham
Army Private First Class Thanooe Paul

For Sarah Verardo, the Gold Star widow of Army Sergeant Michael Verardo, Tunnel to Towers support was overwhelming, “It felt like a burden we had quietly carried for a long time was suddenly lifted. More than anything, we felt cared for and reminded that we are not alone.”

SGT Verardo enlisted in the Army in 2007 and achieved his goal of serving in the 82^nd Airborne Division as an infantryman and paratrooper. He was injured by an IED in Afghanistan in 2010 and would undergo more than 120 surgeries over the next 15 years. He passed away on Aug. 26, 2025, from complications related to the injuries he sustained on the battlefield.

In Buffalo, New York, Tunnel to Towers paid off the mortgage for the family of Coast Guard Aviation Maintenance Technician 2^nd Class Josh Nichols. “Having our mortgage paid off takes an incredible amount of stress and weight off my shoulders. But, more than anything, it showed me that even after all these years, Josh and his sacrifice have not been forgotten,” said his wife, Danelle Nichols.

AMT2 Nichols enlisted in the Coast Guard in 2000 and would serve for nearly a decade, receiving numerous awards, including the Air Medal for saving 52 lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He lost his life on September 4, 2008, when his rescue helicopter crashed into the ocean during a training mission.

In Sheridan, Wyoming, Tunnel to Towers paid off the mortgage for the family of Sheridan Police Sergeant Nevada Krinkee, an Army veteran who was fatally shot in the line of duty in 2024.

“This home is where Nevada proposed to me, where I told him I was pregnant with our child, where we celebrated anniversaries, birthdays, and made plans for our future. Every room in this home holds a deep well of memories of our life together...not having a mortgage truly changes the shape of what future memories with my little girl in this home can be,” said his wife, Karla Krinkee.

The Gold Star Family Home Program and Fallen First Responder Home Program provide mortgage-free homes to surviving spouses with young children after the loss of a service member or first responder who died in the line of duty or from service-related illness. These programs are designed to bring long-term stability and security to families coping with the sudden and tragic loss of a parent who served our country and communities.

To support Tunnel to Towers’ mission and help deliver life-changing mortgage-free smart homes, visit T2T.org and donate $11 per month.

About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation carries out its mission to “do good” by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Children of the Foundation’s home recipients are offered full scholarships for undergraduate degrees and accredited trade school programs, helping secure their futures. The Foundation is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America Never Forget September 11, 2001. Visit T2T.org to learn more, and follow Tunnel to Towers on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Attachments

Trevor Tamsen
Tunnel To Towers Foundation 
718-987-1931
Trevor.Tamsen@T2T.org

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