Stephen Siller was a member of Squad 1 of the Fire Department of New York on September 11, 2001. He wasn’t on duty that day, but he chose to go to the towers when he heard the news. Traffic came to a halt at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel so he ran to the towers, with 60 pounds of gear on his back, where he gave his life rescuing others.

In his memory, his family created the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation that raises money for catastrophically injured veterans. The money is raised through donations and a 5K race they organize that takes the same route Siller did that day.

Tunnel to Towers uses that money for their program Building for America’s Bravest. The program builds smart homes for veterans whose injuries require custom fixtures and layouts to accommodate their unique needs. The first America’s Bravest home was built for quadruple amputee Brendan Marrocco in Staten Island, New York.

“These homes are called smart homes because it allows the wounded, whether it’s single, double, triple, quadruple amputees, to live more of a full life without someone having to take care of everything for them,” Hays Latham of Vicksburg Carpet One Floor & Home said. “They do anything from stoves that pull out or cabinets that lower so that if you’re in a wheelchair they can access it easier.”

Carpet One Floor & Home, which supplies labor, has partnered with Mowhawk Industries, which supplies the flooring, to support the program. The companies have committed to contribute to 46 homes.

As a thank you for their continued support, 9/11 first responders are touring America and stopping at each Carpet One store in the continental United States to present the over 700 stores with a shadowbox containing steel from Ground Zero and each sales professional with a FDNY pin.

“It was a great opportunity and a wonderful gesture on their part to even have part of the towers…Once in a lifetime experience to be able to have a piece of the tower in our store,” Latham said. “It shows that they appreciate what we do and we appreciate what they do too.”

Members of the Vicksburg Fire Department and the Warren County Sheriffs Department also attended the presentation, some leaving mid-presentation to answer a call, while some were able to stay and eat sandwiches and cupcakes before heading back to work.

A local representative for Mohawk Industries also watched as John Turkus, retired FDNY, presented Latham with the shadowbox.

“[It’s been] Overwhelming, a big response from all the stores,” Turkus said. “It’s great.”

Turkus started visiting Carpet One stores earlier this week and will finish this leg of the trip at the end of the week. Over that time he will visit around nine stores in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Next week another first responder will take over and continue the tour.

About 20 men will take turns covering the entire country over the course of the year. Turkus’ next leg begins in August.

“A lot of traveling up and down but you know everyone’s so nice,” Turkus said. “This is great.”

In a list last updated in March, Tunnel to Towers recorded a total of 41 homes in the America’s Bravest program with 15 homes completed since June 2011, 14 homes in the process of being built and 12 homes in the planning stages of being built. None of those homes have been in Mississippi but one of the scheduled homes could be located in Louisiana.

“Hopefully, we’ll reach the goal of 200 homes,” Turkus said.

Carpet One of Vicksburg has been suggesting customers give a $10 donation for the cause. Anyone can make a donation online at ourbravest.org.