Stephen Siller

Heroes are special to all of us. We all have them. They may do incredible things that change the world, or maybe they do something more personal like provide for your family. Whatever that special thing may be, it inspires you to hopefully become as heroic as them someday. It is essential for a hero to possess bravery so they can protect themselves and others. They also need selflessness, which means they think about others before themselves. "Firefighter Stephen Gerard Siller was the youngest of seven children born to Mae and George Siller. At the age of eight Stephen's father died and a year and a half later he also lost his mother, which left him an orphan to be raised by his older siblings"(Siller). That tragic event helped shape Siller into what he was on 9/11. Stephen Siller is an excellent example of a hero because he had both bravery and selflessness and gave his life proving it.

If someone is brave, they are strong and they aren't afraid to back down from any challenge. Stephen Siller is someone who demonstrated incredible bravery. "On September 11, 2001, Stephen had just gotten off the late shift at Squad 1, Park Slope, Brooklyn. He was on his way to play golf with his brothers when his scanner told of the first plane hitting the Twin Towers.  When he heard the news, Stephen called his wife Sally and asked her to tell his brothers he would catch up with them later, and then returned to Squad 1 to get his gear" (Siller). Stephen Siller showed his tremendous bravery on September 11th. He lost his own life in order to save others. Because of his courageous acts, his wife was now widowed and his five children were fatherless. Even before 9/11 Siller had gone through some difficult struggles. "At the age of eight Stephen's father died and a year and a half later he also lost his mother, which left him an orphan to be raised by his older siblings"(Siller). Even though Stephen Siller went through challenging times, he bounced back and "grew up to be an extraordinary individual and dedicated firefighter" (Siller). Siller didn't let something as big as his parents dying stop him from becoming an amazing individual.  He demonstrated plenty of bravery and demonstrated why he is a marvelous example of a hero.

Not only did September 11^th show Stephen Siller's bravery, but it showed his selflessness when he gave his life. The tragedy that occurred on 9/11 was horrific. Many workers, police men, firefighters, and others were killed or injured. Stephen Siller was one of the casualties. "He gave up his life while saving others" (Siller). This is a serious and unforgettable sacrifice. Siller put the safety of the citizens' lives before his and died the selfless and courageous death of a hero. Stephen Siller knew that people needed help and he was the person for the job. He never took the easy way out. Siller could have chosen not to go and help the victims of the malicious attacks. Instead he chose to go and try to save whoever he could. "Stephen drove his truck to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. strapped 60 lbs. of gear to his back, rushed on foot through gridlocked traffic and ran from the Tunnel to the Towers"(Siller). He did whatever it took to get to the towers. Siller showed his perseverance and strength to run through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and help all of the people he could before dying. Because of Stephen Siller's selflessness, people were saved and his legacy is alive.

Stephen Siller is a prime example of a hero. He is brave, selfless, and many other things and he gave his life proving it. Stephen Siller is an inspiration to me and many other people because he has a foundation that raises money and donates to admirable charities. Recently, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers foundation donated $800K to the families of Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu (Schapiro). Stephen Siller is much more than just a firefighter; he is my hero because he was willing to give his life to save others.

Works Cited

Schapiro, Rich. "$800K Donated to Families of Slain NYPD Cops for Mortgages." NY Daily News. N.p., 7 Jan. 2015. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.

Siller, Frank. "Stephen's StoryStephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation."Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation. Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation, n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2015. .

"Stephen Siller Memorial 'Tunnel to Towers' Run Marathon - 2 Anne Enke's Sensual Rebel Blog - Women's Fashion & Lifestyle News From Anne of Carversville." Stephen Siller Memorial 'Tunnel to Towers' Run Marathon - 2 Anne Enke's Sensual Rebel Blog - Women's Fashion & Lifestyle News From Anne of Carversville. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.

"Stephen's StoryStephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation." Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation. Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.