Monaco resident Merrily Lustig Tornatore will again take part in the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk on Sunday, 28th September in New York City — this year accompanied by her husband, two local friends and two US-based friends. The event, held in remembrance of first responders who sacrificed their lives in the 9/11 attacks, holds deep personal significance for Merrily, a New York native now living in the Principality.
Born and raised in New York and a longtime member of the MonacoUSA association, Merrily first ran the Tunnel to Towers solo in 2018, and returned to take part again in 2021, 2023 and 2024. This year she is bringing a small team: “I’m doing this run as a tribute,” she says. “I was born in New York, I grew up there, and even after all these years in Monaco, I’ll always be a New Yorker.”
Merrily has shared how profoundly 11th September 2001 still affects her. In a 2021 interview she described watching events unfold from Monaco, unable to reach her mother who was living in Manhattan at the time. She recalled arriving in New York a few weeks later to find a city deeply in mourning, strangers holding up photographs of missing loved ones.
A powerful remembrance: retracing the path of a fallen firefighter
The 5K Tunnel to Towers race retraces the heroic path of Firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel in full gear to reach the Twin Towers, where he lost his life. The course has become a powerful symbol of sacrifice and community resilience. For Merrily, joining the event each year is an enduring act of remembrance.
Growing support from the Monaco community
What began as a solo effort has grown into a small movement, with Merrily rallying support both locally and abroad. This year, she’ll be joined by her husband Rémy, two Monaco residents, and two American friends, turning her annual tribute into a shared act of solidarity. “It’s about remembrance and unity,” she said. “We must never forget.”
Tunnel to Towers Foundation continues its mission
Founded in honour of Stephen Siller, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation provides mortgage-free homes and financial support to the families of fallen first responders and injured veterans. Its flagship 5K run draws tens of thousands to New York City every year, helping to fund its growing list of nationwide initiatives.
Merrily encourages friends and supporters from both sides of the Atlantic to participate, donate, or simply spread awareness of the event’s significance. “The families and friends of those who died are still with us,” she said. “That’s why we must keep talking about it — to honour the past and teach the next generation.”
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