1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,040 Speaker 1: He is founder of Tunnel to Towers, which has helped 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: tens of thousands of veterans and first responders across the country. 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: His personal story of loss, family and purpose is one 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: you have to hear. Frank Siller is my guest on 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: this Arroyo Grande. Come on, I'm Raymond Arroyo. Welcome to 6 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: Arroyo Grande. Go subscribe to the show. Now turn the 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: notifications on. Do that. I don't want you to miss 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 1: anything that's coming. We're about to celebrate Memorial Day here 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: in the United States, and when you think of honoring 10 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: the sacrifice of our fighting men and women and first responders, 11 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: Tunnel to Towers instantly comes to mind. Frank Killer founded 12 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: the organization back in two thousand and one, and though 13 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: you may have seen the commercials, the personal loss that 14 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: drove him, the love and the purpose he's found is 15 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: something you have to hear. I'm honored to be joined 16 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: by Frank Siller. Frank, thanks for being here. You are 17 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: one of seven kids. Tell me how close you were 18 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: to your younger brother, Stephen when your parents died. He 19 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: was a child, he was like ten years old. 20 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, when Stephen was born. My father was forty nine, 21 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 2: my mother was forty four, so he was a little miracle. 22 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 2: And we were much older older siblings were much older. 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 2: My brother Russ was twenty four years older than him, 24 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: and I was closest in. 25 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 3: Age and I was in the eighth grade. 26 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 2: I was already fourteen years old, so you could see 27 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: the big difference in age. So yeah, So my father 28 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 2: died when he was eight and a half and a 29 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: year and a half later our mom died, so at 30 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: ten years old, he was orphaned. And you know, we 31 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 2: all played a major role in his upbringing, you know, 32 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 2: not only being brothers or sisters, but being parent figures 33 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: in his life and primarily live with my oldest brother 34 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: Russ in rock Fall Center with his wife Jacqueline, and 35 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 2: it was it was a crushing time in our lives 36 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 2: for sure, but you know, we focused everything on Stephen, 37 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 2: and it's he grew up to be an outrageous human 38 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 2: being to say the last. 39 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I love that you gathered around Stephen when 40 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: he was younger and orphaned, you know, in your parents' death, 41 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: and and how the whole family surrounded him even in 42 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: his passing, which we'll get to an a moment. Tell 43 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: me about your parents though, I was fascinated by your parents, 44 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: George and May. They're they're a big part not only 45 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 1: of Stephen's service, but yours. Tell me about how their 46 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: faith and philosophy colored Stephen's career. 47 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: Well, thank you for mentioning in that, because they are 48 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: the reason why Stephen did what he did. About serving, 49 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 2: making the ultimate sacrifice and oldest are all my siblings 50 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 2: know about doing and giving because that's the way we. 51 00:02:58,639 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 3: Were brought up. 52 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 2: We were very war so it wasn't much to give, 53 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 2: you know, growing up, but they did when they when 54 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 2: they could. But my my parents were part of the 55 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 2: Third Order Franciscan third order, and you know, I would 56 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: see my father often being with going out and visiting 57 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 2: the sick or going to hospitals and reading and praying 58 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 2: with them and and doing all those things. And our family, 59 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 2: you know, centered around our spirituality and our Christian beliefs 60 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 2: and uh and it was shown to us in a 61 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 2: very early age that the best way to live your 62 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: life is by serving others. And you know that was 63 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 2: most certainly what Stephen made the ultimate service. 64 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: Well, and people in the third Order Franciscans, they follow, 65 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: they follow obviously the terrorism of Saint Francis of ASSISI 66 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: and it's a it's one that goes out and gives 67 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: to people and gives all you can. How did that 68 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: do you think draw Stephen to this public service and 69 00:03:58,360 --> 00:03:59,279 Speaker 1: being a firefighter. 70 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: Well, my father led by example instead of my mother. 71 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 2: My father, you know, went to Mass almost every day 72 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 2: of his life. And although he was he had to 73 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 2: go because he was an outrageous human being. You know, 74 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 2: he might have he might have reacted a little over 75 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: the top on some things, uh and then quickly had 76 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 2: to go and beg for forgiveness. 77 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: Uh. 78 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 2: He was quite a character. But he kept he kept 79 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: the four boys in line. I can tell you that. 80 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 3: Uh. 81 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 2: And my my, my sisters, they didn't need anything. They 82 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: were all saintanly to begin with and still law. So 83 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 2: it was a It was great. My mother was never 84 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 2: raised a voice, didn't had to. She would just uh 85 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 2: and in a very holy way, just live a life 86 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: that was just, you know, so special. I can't even 87 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 2: explain to you how fortunate we were to have the 88 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: parents we had growing up. And we, like I said, 89 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 2: we were, we were very poor. We were the families 90 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 2: that sometimes people left stuff at Thanksgiving or at different times, 91 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 2: you know, on doorstep, you know, many times for us. 92 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: But we didn't we didn't know, you know, we didn't 93 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 2: know if we didn't have what we didn't have, because 94 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: what we did have, which was the love of family, 95 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 2: was more than than we have a I could possibly 96 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 2: one having a million kids in the in the neighborhood. 97 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: Frank A couple of times now you said that Stephen 98 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 1: was an outrageous personality. What does that mean? 99 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: Well, Stephen was You think of a young boy losing 100 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 2: both parents at such an early age, right, so he 101 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 2: was hyper to begin with as a young kid, just 102 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 2: drive my father nuts, you know, I mean hopping all 103 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 2: over place. But then again, my father was already older, 104 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 2: so he had probably less patience at that time. 105 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 3: Uh. 106 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 2: But you know, Stephen went through a rough adolescence, he 107 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: really did, and uh you know, he had to come 108 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 2: to grips with what happened uh to him. And uh, 109 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: you know, I remember one day where Stephen. I was 110 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 2: out with Stephen and rock Fell Center, spending a day 111 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 2: with him, and he questioned his very being. He said, Frankie, 112 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 2: why did mommy and daddy have to die? I wish 113 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: I was never born? And I said Stephen, Oh, my God, 114 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 2: don't say that. You know this is right after my 115 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 2: parents had both passed away, and that my parents love 116 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 2: you so much. 117 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 3: They brought you into this world. 118 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 2: And you know, the brothers and sisters we will always 119 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 2: be there for you. 120 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 3: When we were we were always there for him. 121 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I said, God put you on this earth 122 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 2: for the reason. Someday you will do something very special. 123 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 2: Little did I know what that special was by any means. 124 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 2: So Stephen gave us a run for the money as 125 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 2: an adolescence, but he landed on his feet at a 126 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:41,359 Speaker 2: very young age, nineteen years old. Done the nonsense was 127 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 2: completely over. He came back to Staten Allen. He grew 128 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,239 Speaker 2: up with us as he was a little kid before 129 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,919 Speaker 2: he went out with my brother Russ, got reintroduced to 130 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 2: the little girl around the block where they used to 131 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 2: walk to school with when he was a little kid, 132 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: fell in love, got married, had five kids, had five children, 133 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,160 Speaker 2: and you know, always wanted to be a firefighter, always 134 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 2: wanted you know, we had uncles and police police officers 135 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 2: under his cousins that were firefighters. Always wanted to be 136 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 2: a firefighter and became a firefighter at age twenty seven. 137 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 3: He died when he was thirty. 138 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: Four, so well, and he's eventually assigned to Brooklyn Squad one, 139 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: which is a fire brigade. I know he was in several, 140 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: but that was where he was in two thousand and one. 141 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: You had lunch with him, Frank on September tenth, two 142 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: thousand and one. He said, what to you? 143 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: That day we were making plans because we're going to 144 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 2: play golf the next day, and we were talking about it. 145 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 3: He also worked with me and another business. 146 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 2: You know, firefighters had to work two jobs, you know, right, 147 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 2: And we were making plans for the next season and 148 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 2: he said, you know, my parting words is see you tomorrow, brother, 149 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 2: I love you. And we hugged each other, and you know, 150 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 2: we thought that the next day playing golf. 151 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 3: The four brothers were going to play. 152 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 2: Golf, you know, Russ, George, Stephen and myself. You know, 153 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 2: we were just so looking forward to it. And you know, 154 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 2: he was just finished his night tour and squad won 155 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: in Brooklyn. He was on his way home to play 156 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 2: the golf and he hurried on his radio scanner what happened? 157 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 3: So you know, what do these guys do? You know, right, man? 158 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 3: They what do these great heroes do. 159 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 2: He went back to his firehouse, got his gear, drove 160 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 2: to the mouth of the Brooklyn Battery tunnel was closed 161 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 2: for sixty reasons, strapped the sixty pounds of gear on 162 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: his back, and calmly ran in that tunnel. And I 163 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 2: know it was calmly because somebody saw him come to 164 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 2: a screeching halt in his truck. 165 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: But Sam put his. 166 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: Gear on and jog into the tunnel, came out the 167 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 2: other side up West Street, and while saving people in 168 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 2: the towers, he gave up his life. 169 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: Why do you think he were in through the Brooklyn 170 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: tunnel that day? What did he tell his wife? He 171 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: tells his wife, Sally, He calls her, right. 172 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 2: He calls him while he's going back to get his 173 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: gear back to the fire house, as he says, tell 174 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: my brothers, I'll try to catch up with him later. Yeah, 175 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 2: And obviously, you know when the second plane hit, you know, 176 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 2: we know there was. 177 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 3: No catching up. Uh there was no golf that day, 178 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,079 Speaker 3: that's damn sure. So yeah, so. 179 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 2: Uh, you know, he he you know, he just did 180 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 2: what first responders do, what firefighters do, what police officers do, 181 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: what men and women in uniform to protect our country. 182 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 2: Do they go right towards the danger. They put their 183 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 2: life on risk, They put everything else on the side, 184 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 2: and they do what duty calls them to do. 185 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 3: And you know, when we. 186 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 2: Found out that he ran through that tunnel and he 187 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 2: was going up those stairs and he gave up his life. 188 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 2: When I first when I when I when I first 189 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: realized he wasn't coming home, I couldn't believe it, I said, 190 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 2: I was so angry. I said, those those five kids 191 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: are going to be not gonna know Stephen like like 192 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 2: he's this perfect person, that perfect and you know every way, 193 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 2: but like a beautiful person. And these these poor kids 194 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 2: are not going to know their father the way they 195 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 2: should have known their father. 196 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 3: They're going to hear through stories. 197 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 2: And we tell them every time I'm with them, they 198 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 2: you know, I tell them their all new stories because 199 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 2: he left us funny, but he was an outrageous human 200 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 2: being and just how we lived and most certainly how 201 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:22,319 Speaker 2: he died. 202 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 3: Uh, you know, giving up his life. 203 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: Frank, you said something there that I that jumped out 204 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: at me. And having known you and some of your 205 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: brothers for a number of years now, you said he 206 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: told his wife Stephen did tell my brothers, I'll catch 207 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: up with them. And it seems to me you all 208 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: have s met these last few years trying to catch 209 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: up to him. 210 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. 211 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 2: You know, when we heard what he did, we knew 212 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 2: we had to do something. And I remember talking to 213 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 2: my sister Laura, and I asked her, I said, okay, 214 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 2: if we start a foundation to make sure that you 215 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 2: know Steven's legacy, that like people know what he did, 216 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 2: and that the kids know that their dad's a hero, 217 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 2: and we'll make sure people don't forget. And she said okay. 218 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 2: She gave it a blessing, and then I told my 219 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 2: siblings what we're going to do. We were apprehensive, and 220 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,719 Speaker 2: as you know, we never you know, we never ran 221 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 2: a foundation. 222 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 3: You know, but you know, it was just so simple. 223 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 2: What we were trying to do is to honor the 224 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 2: sacrifice and never forget. 225 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 3: And we wanted to do good. 226 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 2: San Francis of ASSISSI back to our roots and brothers 227 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 2: and sisters, while you have time, let us do good. 228 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 2: So what we're here, we wanted to do good and 229 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 2: to remember what Stephen did, but. 230 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 3: Not just Stephen. 231 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 2: And I think one of the greatest things about the tunnel, 232 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 2: the Talis foundation is that we realized early on Stephen 233 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 2: symbolic of so many people that did so many beautiful, 234 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 2: courageous things that day, so many heroes that day, that 235 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 2: we made sure that the very first run that we 236 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 2: had through the tunnel that retraces Stephen's final heroic foot steps, 237 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 2: we had the banners there for American flags, there for 238 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 2: every first. 239 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 3: Responder who died that day. It wasn't just about Steven. 240 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,079 Speaker 2: And I think now that there's thousands of families come. 241 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 2: You know, we have forty thousand people come every year 242 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 2: that do the run. They come out the tunnel and 243 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 2: they see the story they love one, you know, hold 244 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 2: the picture they loved one, and the seven thousand men 245 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 2: and women who gave their lives, and you know, in 246 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 2: the global War on Terror, we have the names and 247 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 2: pictures every single one of them. It's a mile long, 248 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 2: shouldered by shoulder, hell by these other great heroes, and 249 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 2: so we remember everything. But the foundation from the beginning is, 250 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 2: you know, we wanted to honor his sacrifice, and we 251 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 2: want to make sure we never forget the sacrifice of 252 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 2: him and so many that day, and so many. 253 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:53,839 Speaker 1: So I love that this started as a five k 254 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: race as you said, retracing your brother's steps through the 255 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Tunnel out to the where the tower were, the 256 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: side of the towers. But it's transformed into something so 257 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: much bigger than that. Now, Frank, where did this When 258 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: did it take a turn and leave a five k 259 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: commemorative race and turn into this foundation that now cares 260 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: for all of these first responders and are wounded and 261 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: fallen heroes. 262 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 2: Well, you know, there's been many miracles that have happened 263 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 2: to us at the foundation and to my siblings and myself, 264 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 2: and a lot of times God puts us on a path. 265 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:40,959 Speaker 2: And by the way, you know, when we told people 266 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 2: that we were going to have a run through the tunnel, 267 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 2: you'll laugh, said, you're not going to get that done. 268 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 2: They're not going to close pots of Brooklyn. They're not 269 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 2: going to close a tunnel. They're not going to close 270 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: downtown in Manhattan. You know, for you and as God 271 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 2: is my judge, the first meeting I had with this guy, 272 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 2: Bob Adamaco from the Department of the Transportation in ten minutes, 273 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 2: not only when I told him my brother Stephen's story. 274 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 2: You know, as a kid be an orphaned and growing 275 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: up get married, and all this stuff. He was crying. 276 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 2: He came around, he said, we're going to Yes, we're 277 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 2: going to get this done. He calls the guy up, 278 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 2: Gideon Davis Davis and says, can we close the tunnel 279 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 2: in late September? 280 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 3: And the guy says yes. 281 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 2: And then he calls another person and says, will you 282 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 2: help them organize this run? And as somebody, I went 283 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 2: to high school with them. My brother Us, the older 284 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 2: brother of us, taught every time. So there's been miracles. 285 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 2: But listen, the first ever quadruple ampute to ever survive 286 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 2: any war was from Staten Island, where we all were born, 287 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 2: all the sellers. 288 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 3: And Sergeant Brendan Morocco. 289 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 2: When I heard about it, I went down to visit 290 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 2: him with a group of people from the Foundation. And 291 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 2: while I was talking to him, his father asked me, actually, 292 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 2: can you talk to Brendan and speak to him and 293 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: give him some words of a counchment. And while I 294 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 2: was talking to him, first of all, I said, what 295 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 2: am I going to say to him? You know? But 296 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 2: I but while I was talking to me, I said, Brendan, 297 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 2: can we can the tunnel to twis foundation? Can we 298 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 2: build you a home? A mortgage free home and and 299 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 2: Brendan said, Frank, I don't know where I'm going to live. 300 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 2: I said, I don't care. I don't care where you 301 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 2: want to live. We'll build it wherever you want. 302 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 3: And he goes. 303 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 2: I might want to stay in the DC area because 304 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 2: of all the operations you know, by Walter Reid. And 305 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 2: I said, wherever you want, he goes wherever I want. 306 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 2: And of course he didn't hold up a finger because 307 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 2: he didn't have arms, but. 308 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 3: He went wherever I want. Right, you member four limbs right? 309 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 3: He lost. I said, wherever you want, he goes. 310 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 2: Frank, wherever I want, I said, Brendan, wherever you want, 311 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: he goes. Are you sure? I said, yes, I'm sure. 312 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 2: Wherever you want he goes, even Hawaii. I said, oh, 313 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 2: I see what you know? He was kidding around, And 314 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 2: I love that. Already here he is, you know, several 315 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: months after you know, twenty maybe operations that he had 316 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 2: already he and he had this a sense of human 317 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 2: he was outrageous human being himself. That being said, that's 318 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 2: what changed us. That is what changes That meeting changed 319 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 2: the whole foundation. Before that, we were doing good things. 320 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 2: They'll get me wrong, but we didn't have to raise 321 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 2: a lot of money. We're doing some small scholarships for 322 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 2: kids that lost the parent, most certainly first responders, certainly 323 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 2: in the schools where my brother went, where our family went. 324 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 2: We helped those those children out. But now I got 325 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 2: to raise three quarters of a million dollars to build 326 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 2: us a home, you know, for Brenda Morocco. And we 327 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 2: did it like this. 328 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 3: We did it now. 329 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 2: I'm not going to say it was easy, but we 330 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 2: did it pretty quickly. Yeah, and we had so many 331 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 2: people that came together. 332 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: Well, and now you've got the Smart Home program, you 333 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: got the Fallen first Responder and gold Star Family Home 334 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 1: programs which offers these mortgage free homes to all of 335 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: those people. I mean, it is an incredible legacy that 336 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: Steven's loss and sacrifice has spawned. I mean, even he 337 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: as outrageous as he is, he couldn't have envisioned this 338 00:16:58,760 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: for me. 339 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 2: It wouldn't have happened if he didn't make that run, 340 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 2: if he didn't run through that tunnel. 341 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 3: This stuff. 342 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 2: There was no other foundation like this in America. There 343 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 2: still isn't other than us, and it's obviously it's very needed. 344 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 2: Think of all the first responders. They give their life 345 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 2: every year, right every year. It's incredible. And December twentieth, 346 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 2: twenty fourteen, the detectives Lou and Ramos are assassinated just 347 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 2: because the police officer sitting in their car in Brooklyn. 348 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 2: Some crazy person came up from Baltimore though to be 349 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 2: okay to assassinate police officers, and they did. And I 350 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 2: remember meeting with those families on Christmas Eve twenty fourteen, 351 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 2: and I told them the Tunnel to Tallis Foundation are 352 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 2: going to pay off their mortgages. So now we're doing 353 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 2: the smart homes where we said, now we're going to 354 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 2: build a smart home for everybody who's catastrophically injured. Now 355 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: we start paying off those two mortgages. Because it was 356 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 2: right here in New York. And then I heard about 357 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 2: five police officers that were killed in Dallas and then 358 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 2: one in all hot in Iowa. 359 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 3: And I mean, and all of. 360 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 2: A sudden, you know, I was talking to my family. 361 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 2: I said, we got to do this for every If 362 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 2: we're helping these police offices, we got to do for everyone. 363 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 2: And then we took a solemn vow that we're going 364 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: to help every first responder in America that dies in 365 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 2: a line of duty that leaves a young family behind, 366 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 2: We're going to give them a mortgage free home. I 367 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 2: spoke with one today. I spoke to a widow today 368 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 2: that just lost her her husband when serving a warrant 369 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 2: and you get jumped and killed. You know, he was 370 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 2: abushed himself. So look, it's so important the work that 371 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 2: we do. 372 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 3: But we only do it. 373 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 2: Because like your your listeners, your viewers, you know, we 374 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 2: ask everybody go to t twot dot org donate eleven 375 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 2: dollars a month. 376 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 3: I've said that. I've said it one years, thousands of. 377 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 2: Times, you know, and most certainly on Fox and On 378 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 2: and other and broadcasts and stuff. 379 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 3: And it works. 380 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 2: We bring you say, the fire Department says, many hands 381 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 2: makes light work, and we bring many people together to 382 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 2: make this happen. Yes, at the big companies, you know, 383 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 2: the big companies, we have GM, we have Home Depot, 384 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 2: American Express, T Mobile, and many many more that you 385 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 2: know gives us millions and millions of dollars. But we 386 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,400 Speaker 2: count on the eleven dollars a month to make this out. 387 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 1: It's an amazing I got to say, I didn't appreciate 388 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 1: the diversity of the work until I dove in this 389 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 1: past week, Frank. I mean, and I knew you. Look, 390 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,239 Speaker 1: I've been to your events. I think it's incredible. And 391 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 1: the golfing, you know, I was just hitt a golf 392 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: outing with you in New Jersey. And now realizing that 393 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 1: Stephen was meant to play golf with you all that day, 394 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: it kind of drove home why the golf thing was 395 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: so important. I couldn't figure out what the connection was. 396 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: I mean, people liked the golf. I don't what others do, 397 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: and it made it all. It made it mean more. 398 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: I think when I realized the connection. 399 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 2: We try and do everything with the purpose. Everything we 400 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 2: do with the Foundation has some underlining purpose to it 401 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 2: because it has to be real what we do and 402 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 2: has to be real. I mean, the biggest purpose is 403 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 2: who we're helping. But yeah, we were going to play 404 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 2: golf that day, that beautiful day. And you know, and 405 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 2: I said to my brother the day before, see tomorrowro. 406 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:23,200 Speaker 3: I love you. 407 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 2: You know what I mean, and we give our man hug. 408 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 2: You know that never happened, but because of it, look 409 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 2: at all the good that has come out of my 410 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 2: brother's sacrifice. Yes, I'd rather him be around I wish 411 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 2: I was helping another foundation for the same type of right, 412 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 2: was no question about it. I wish his five kids 413 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 2: had their dad. One of them's getting married on Memorial 414 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 2: Weekend on that on that Saturday night is getting married. 415 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 2: Another one just got engaged. All these kids, they were babies. 416 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 3: They were three and a half, five years old, you 417 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 3: know when it happened. The oldest was ten. 418 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 2: They had had a two and a half year old 419 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 2: and a nine month old and a nine month and 420 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 2: they're all doing unbelievable. 421 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: He'd be very proud of incredible. Well, I mean I 422 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,640 Speaker 1: didn't realize you had a foundling facility in state nag. 423 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: I mean, this was mind blowing. And now you're you're 424 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: helping homeless veterans. This program is incredible. Where did that 425 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: come from? I mean, you've housed thousands of veterans across 426 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,120 Speaker 1: the country now, Frank. 427 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, So it came from a simple point that you know, 428 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 2: when something's looking at you straight in the face and 429 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 2: you know there's a problem with our veterans, they go 430 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 2: serve us right, and you're seeing them. When I was 431 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 2: doing my walk, remember the small walk I did. Oh yeah, 432 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 2: I walked from from the Pentagon to Shanksville, Pennsylvania to 433 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 2: Brown Zero. Right, I was walking through Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I 434 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 2: went under and overpass, and under that overpass, there were 435 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 2: so many homelessness people sitting under there in such a 436 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 2: in such a dirty, unbelievable conditions. And I spoke to 437 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 2: some of them, and they were veterans, and they were veterans, 438 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 2: And you know, that thought has never gotten out of 439 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 2: my mind. I travel all over the United States, I 440 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 2: see it. I see it all over, I see it 441 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 2: all over. Finally we spoke about it as a foundation. 442 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: I'm going to tell. 443 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 2: You we almost almost didn't do it because the undertaking 444 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:35,360 Speaker 2: is so tremendous, so large, so it seemed almost insurmountable. 445 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 2: And then we said, we just can't put a roof 446 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 2: over the head. You've got to get them all the 447 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 2: services they need. 448 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, they need a community too. 449 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:47,120 Speaker 2: They need to be and they camp in shelters. Yeah, 450 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: they can't be in shelters. They have to have their own, like, 451 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,920 Speaker 2: their own place to live, their own apartment, their own 452 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 2: you know, we're building these we're buying these hotels. It's 453 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 2: just what nineteen of them all over the United States. Right, 454 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 2: And we're renovating them into apartments permanent and temporary. But 455 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 2: you know, if the older guys is permanent, for the 456 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 2: younger ones, I wanted to be temporary. I want them 457 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 2: back in out there and getting their own homes and 458 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 2: whatever it may be. But we almost didn't do it 459 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 2: because it was so the undertaking was so huge, so big. 460 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: You mean in terms of the numbers, the numbers. 461 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 2: The numbers turns, the amount of money. Yeah, in terms 462 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 2: of making sure they get the mental health. 463 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 3: Side right, So how are we going to do that? 464 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 3: How are we going to put this all together? We 465 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 3: did it. 466 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 2: We put together a plan and finally said, I won't 467 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 2: say the words it it. We're doing it because it's 468 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,199 Speaker 2: the right thing to do. Steven would want us to 469 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 2: do it. Mom and Dad would want us to do 470 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 2: it because they were for Assiscans. They want to take 471 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:48,400 Speaker 2: care of the poor and the needy. 472 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 3: Right, they would want us to do it. We have 473 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 3: to do it. We have no choice. We're doing it, 474 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 3: and we're doing it. 475 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 2: Ten thousand homeless feds off the street just the last 476 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 2: two years, incredible thousand in ten crowns. 477 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 3: We have an. 478 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:05,959 Speaker 1: Effering I know you're involved in something that I covered 479 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 1: and at a time when nobody was covering it. On Fox, 480 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: we showed people those homeless veterans camped out on the 481 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:18,439 Speaker 1: streets surrounding the la VA campus in Brentwood, this is 482 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: land that was deeded to the government to care for veterans. 483 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: Tell me what happened recently and how it involves tunnel 484 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: to towers. You all the part of the solution there. 485 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, we're definitely part of the solution. 486 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,920 Speaker 2: And President Trump just signed an executive order saying that 487 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 2: he's going to open up to how six thousand homeless 488 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 2: veterans on that property. And he wants to his words, 489 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,359 Speaker 2: well he was running for president. I loved it when 490 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 2: I had him say it. He wants to eradicate homelessness. Well, 491 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 2: I've been saying it for a couple of years, and 492 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,640 Speaker 2: he's been running for president for the last couple of years. 493 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:50,640 Speaker 2: He's saying the same thing. 494 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:51,640 Speaker 3: Here's the thing. 495 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 2: That property is so important because we know there's at 496 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 2: least three thousand homeless vents right on that property. 497 00:24:57,600 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 3: We're already we already. 498 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 2: Have some of those Hova's veterans in our own property there, 499 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 2: all right. We poured in a. 500 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 3: Lot of money. 501 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 2: I think it was seventy two million dollars we poured 502 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 2: into that project ourselves. It's painstakingly slow. It's not the 503 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 2: way I like to operate, to be honest with you, 504 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 2: Working a big government property, you need some many okays 505 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 2: here and there. I'm not in charge of that particular 506 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 2: projected I wish in some ways I wish I was, 507 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 2: but some cays I'd rather just stay totally independent in 508 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 2: what we're doing. But I know now with the President 509 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 2: saying that he's going to do this in Sciences Executive Order, 510 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 2: my goodness, we already met with the Secretary of HUD 511 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 2: and the Secretary of the VA about working with them 512 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 2: to make sure because the VA, you know, Doug Collins, 513 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:50,199 Speaker 2: this guy gets it. I mean, he's just he's just 514 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 2: all in. And Turner, Scott Turner is incredible. We can't 515 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,399 Speaker 2: get it done without the vouchers from the HUD vouchers. 516 00:25:58,440 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 3: I can tell you that because. 517 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 2: We we work with over a thousand other non for 518 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,439 Speaker 2: profits around the country. When they see a homeless veteran, 519 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 2: they could call us up and we could get that 520 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: homeless veteran off the street immediately. 521 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 3: But we need to hudge hudge vouchers to do that. 522 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 2: We could get them off the street, but we need 523 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 2: the vouchers afterwards to keep them off the street. 524 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: Right to keep maintaining it. There's a lot of services 525 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 1: they need. 526 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,199 Speaker 2: And we could get them all that services because we 527 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 2: have case manages for every one of these people. 528 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 3: We don't. 529 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 2: Once again, we just don't put him somewhere and say goodbye. 530 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 3: It doesn't work that. 531 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 1: Way, Frank, How does your faith, your personal faith animate 532 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: this effort. I mean, I know you still go to 533 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: blessed sacrament on Staten Island, your boyhood parish. How this, 534 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: I know has to be an animating power as you 535 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: grow and continue to sustain. Tunnel to towers. 536 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 2: Well, I know what we're doing is the right thing. Therefore, 537 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 2: I know it's blessed. I know that the man upstairs 538 00:26:57,080 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 2: is opening doors for us that. 539 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 3: We never knew that. It couldn't open my mind. 540 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 2: You know, even go back to the story of Bob 541 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 2: adamcall I told you just getting the permits to go 542 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 2: through the tunnel. You know, he keeps on sending us people. 543 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 2: There's no doubt about it. He just keeps on sending 544 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 2: us people, companies, people, eleven dollars a month. People, all 545 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 2: these things. It's nothing that yes, we're bringing people together. 546 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:20,439 Speaker 3: Am I working hard? Sure, I'm working hard, but everyone 547 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 3: you know, most people work hard, you know they have 548 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 3: to do. 549 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 2: But I have the great fortune of working with these 550 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 2: great families on a constant basis. And once you meet 551 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,399 Speaker 2: these families once again, you have no choice to but 552 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 2: continue doing what we're doing. So faith has everything to 553 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 2: do with it. I talked to my kids about faith 554 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 2: all the time. It's what carries you through every forget 555 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:46,920 Speaker 2: about the good times. The good times you feel upbeat anyway, right, 556 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 2: but you thank God for it. There's no person about it. 557 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 2: But you know it's through difficult times that you need 558 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 2: your faith the most. And we needed it around nine 559 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 2: to eleven and he put us on this path and 560 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:58,440 Speaker 2: it's the path we're never going to get off. 561 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:00,919 Speaker 1: Do you worry that young people have forgotten about nine 562 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:01,399 Speaker 1: to eleven? 563 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 2: Frank, Well, well, of course, but we do have at 564 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:04,679 Speaker 2: nine to eleven Institute. 565 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know you do. 566 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 2: We have K through twelve. We have educational You could 567 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 2: go go T two T dot org go to our 568 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 2: nine to eleven Institute. You can download right for yourself 569 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:17,919 Speaker 2: as a parent. You could download it as a school, 570 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,240 Speaker 2: you could download it as a community. You can download 571 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 2: it and teach it as a It's a curriculum a 572 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:26,920 Speaker 2: lot of time and effort into because we want to 573 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 2: make sure that we out of the sacrifice and never 574 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 2: forget and we're going to stick with that. 575 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 3: That was our first thing that we were doing and 576 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 3: we're never going to leave that. 577 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 1: Well, Frank, when I look at the story of the Sillers, 578 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: and when I look at Stephen's story and what you've done, 579 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: it really is about sacrificial concern, starting with Stephen and 580 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: now spreading to the entire family, and now this movement 581 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: of sacrificial concern. What would you say to Americans as 582 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: Memorial Day comes around again? What is their duty? What 583 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 1: is their role? 584 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 2: I think that duty is very simple that if we're 585 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 2: asking people to put on a uniform and protect us, 586 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 2: that we must make a promise and a vow to them. 587 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 2: And this is very simple that if you go serve 588 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 2: our community or our country and you give you a 589 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 2: life for either one, you give your kids a kiss gobye, 590 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: and you don't come home. We are Americans. We are 591 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 2: going to take care of your family. We're going to 592 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 2: make sure that they have a mortgage free home, or 593 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 2: if they come back catastrophically ejured, that they have a 594 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 2: mortgage free smart home, well GoF of it. They come 595 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 2: back and they're mentally disturbed and they can't get back 596 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 2: into the swing of life, that we're going to take that. 597 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 2: We're gonna hug them, we're going to love them, we're 598 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:48,320 Speaker 2: going to put them into place, and we're going to 599 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,479 Speaker 2: get them to help to get them back so they 600 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 2: could be part of the family again. That is our promise, 601 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 2: and we ask everybody on this Memorial Day to take 602 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 2: that promise with us, because that's how we get it done. 603 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: Bring it up, you know. I also think, Frank, it's 604 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: so important. We used to do this with our children, 605 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 1: particularly when they were young. Go to these memorials for veterans, 606 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:11,719 Speaker 1: whether it's a Vietnam memorial or World War II memorial, 607 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 1: every local community has them. Take the time to take 608 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 1: your children there and honor the sacrifice of those who 609 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: gave their lives. It inculcates I think a feeling a 610 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: reverence for the patriotism and the sacrifice of these men 611 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: and women, and teaches the next generation this is who 612 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: you whose shoulders you stand on and who sacrifice you 613 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: stand on? 614 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 3: I agree. I sit with your children and watch a movie. 615 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 2: Well, in these movies about the great sacrifice, and I 616 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 2: did so depicted in a certain way. 617 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 3: Are they a little upsetting? Yes? 618 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 2: So what you know, Sometimes some people are saying to me, oh, 619 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 2: you should take off your website the two towers coming down. 620 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 2: I said, bull crap, excuse me. This is what happened, right, 621 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 2: this is what happened. You have to show what happened. 622 00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 2: You got to be, you know, show what happened, then 623 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 2: show what you can do afterwards to try to make 624 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:06,200 Speaker 2: things better. You can't stay in a bad place. It's 625 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 2: just we have a choice, and you can't stay there. 626 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 2: And the choice is go out and help somebody, get 627 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 2: out of yourself, go help somebody else. And you can't 628 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 2: bring back your loved one, but you could do something 629 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 2: to honor them in such a beautiful way. 630 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:20,040 Speaker 1: No. Well, I love that you've done that in so 631 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: many beautiful ways, incredible ways, and it continues to grow 632 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: and expand. I mean, I can't tell you the people 633 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: I come across who've either been helped by you or 634 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 1: know someone who's been helped by you, which is an 635 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:34,400 Speaker 1: incredible legacy after an for an organization that's only been 636 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: around since two thousand and one. Frank, for every guest 637 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: on the show, I do in a royal grande questionnaire. 638 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: These are fast questions. There'll be no penalty at the end. 639 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 1: I'm going to ask you these very quickly. 640 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 3: Makes so fast anymore so? But go ahead. 641 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: Who is the person you most admire. 642 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 2: My mother or father, two of them. 643 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 1: Who's the person you most despise? 644 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 3: Osama bid Latin? 645 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: What What is the best feature that you have and 646 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: the worst? 647 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 2: My best feature is my faith and the worst. I 648 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 2: get very angry when I see bad things happen. 649 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: I share that with you. What do you fear, Frank? 650 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 2: I feel like I feel better today than I have did. 651 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 2: But I fear that America is moving away from what 652 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 2: has made us great, which is sacrificing and our faith 653 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 2: and that we are, you know, Judeo Christian country and 654 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 2: born from that, and that we have to we have 655 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: to have that understanding to stay in the greatness that 656 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:41,800 Speaker 2: we that we have. So that is my biggest concern. 657 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 2: But I do feel better now. I'll be honest with you. 658 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 2: I do feel that people are coming back to faith. 659 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 2: I see it all the time, the people I deal 660 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,720 Speaker 2: with all the time, I'm around it all the time, 661 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 2: the people that you know. We just did a groundbreak 662 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 2: in Bayville, New Jersey, where two thousand people came out 663 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 2: to see us break round on a piece of property 664 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 2: that we're going to be doing for homeless man. 665 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 3: Two thousand people. 666 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 2: Yes, So I see that, And if you there, you 667 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 2: could feel the amount of energy and love and concern 668 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 2: and commitment people have. So, you know, I do feel 669 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 2: good about America. I feel so good about America. I 670 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 2: feel like we're heading in a really good direction. But 671 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 2: we got to be careful because we can't forget you know, 672 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 2: how we got here, and we got to have our 673 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 2: faith faith as well. 674 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: I love the Tunnel for Towers is Tunnel to Towers 675 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:39,160 Speaker 1: is really a vehicle for so many people to express 676 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:44,280 Speaker 1: not only their belief and the reverence, to reverence the 677 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: sacrifice of all these people. It's a beautiful way to 678 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: do that. What's the greatest virtue, Frank Love, what is 679 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 1: your greatest regret? 680 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 3: Regrets? 681 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 2: I've had a few, but too few to mention, you know. 682 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 2: I look, we all make mistakes growing up, you know, 683 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:12,320 Speaker 2: on things. But I'm married for. 684 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 3: Forty seven years. 685 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 2: I have three beautiful children, seven grandchildren. 686 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 1: You know. 687 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:19,279 Speaker 3: You know I'm sorry my brother's gone. It kills me. 688 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 2: I think about them every single day, but I can't. 689 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:25,040 Speaker 2: I can't change that. I don't have many We all 690 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,879 Speaker 2: have small regrets. Yeah, there's no question about it. But 691 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 2: I'd have nerve to complain. 692 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 1: I love that. What do you know that other people 693 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 1: don't know? 694 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:37,560 Speaker 2: Frank Siller, Well, I don't know about that because I'm 695 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:39,720 Speaker 2: not that smart. You know, I built the first smart home. 696 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 2: I want to say I built a smart home, not 697 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 2: because I'm smart, because I got somebody smart to do it. 698 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: You know. 699 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,440 Speaker 2: I think I think I realized I surround myself with 700 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:51,560 Speaker 2: just good people and talented. 701 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 3: People, and that's that's how we get it. I get 702 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:54,719 Speaker 3: it done. 703 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 2: I consider myself like Tom Sworry a little bit. I 704 00:34:57,560 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 2: got a lot of people to paint defense for me 705 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:02,319 Speaker 2: and back and say, look at Frank Silid. Now it's 706 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,640 Speaker 2: all these people painting a fence that are doing it. 707 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:06,359 Speaker 2: I'm just a spokesperson for them. 708 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:10,440 Speaker 1: That's so great. The best piece of advice you ever 709 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:11,840 Speaker 1: received is what Frank. 710 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:16,880 Speaker 3: The best piece of advice today. 711 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:22,000 Speaker 2: I tell you there's something I live by, and when 712 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 2: I'm angry, I do wait a day or two before 713 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:27,719 Speaker 2: I confront something. You know, my father, who was not 714 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,160 Speaker 2: a very patient person, I always take it, take a 715 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 2: step back, you know, before you open your mouth, because 716 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 2: when you open your mouth, you know, you know, if 717 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:39,400 Speaker 2: you've two loaded, you know, you could screw terrible things. 718 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:42,239 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm not gonna say I live that way 719 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:44,799 Speaker 2: every day, but I try to. 720 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 3: I try to. 721 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:47,919 Speaker 2: And it always seems like if you wait twenty four 722 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:49,799 Speaker 2: hours on something, it's not as bad as it was 723 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 2: twenty four hours beforehand. 724 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 1: In the moment. Yeah, that's great advice, actually, and particularly 725 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: for hotheads like me. 726 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:57,160 Speaker 3: It's pa faint on me. 727 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 1: What's your favorite book, frank and the one you read 728 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: that you were really enjoyed? 729 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:03,319 Speaker 3: Well? 730 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:08,399 Speaker 2: Well, so I continuously, uh read a book about Saint 731 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 2: Francis of ASSISSI. I keep on reading more and more 732 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 2: books about San Francis ASSISI being that my parents, uh 733 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:19,279 Speaker 2: you know or you know, live live that life. I 734 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 2: read daily prayers every single day. I I I love 735 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:29,720 Speaker 2: reading the Bible. I'm not Bible verse that you couldn't. 736 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,120 Speaker 2: I can't repeat the Bible and stuff. But I do 737 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:37,480 Speaker 2: like reading uh scripture, Uh for sure. I put in 738 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 2: a lot of the things when I when I give 739 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:44,760 Speaker 2: a talk called the speech a talk, I usually put scripture. 740 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:48,319 Speaker 3: In it because I related to how I'm supposed to 741 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:50,320 Speaker 3: do things. 742 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 2: So I'm a big reader. But I read more inspirational 743 00:36:55,560 --> 00:37:00,799 Speaker 2: books and and and uh and stories all the time. 744 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:02,720 Speaker 3: But it all relates around faith. 745 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,040 Speaker 1: What happens when this is over? 746 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 2: Frank, Well, first of all, this is never going to 747 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:13,800 Speaker 2: be over the foundation. That's a promise that we're building 748 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:17,440 Speaker 2: it the last forever. At young Stephen Jr. 749 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 3: Working here. 750 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 2: Wow, I got other family members involved because this is 751 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 2: a family foundation. Yet we have you know, hundreds and 752 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 2: hundreds of employees too, because we do build houses all over. 753 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 2: We do with the homeless veterans. You know, we have 754 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 2: case managers that have to work with these great heroes. 755 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 2: So this foundation will never be will never be over. 756 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,920 Speaker 2: I'll expire like we all do. Right, I kept out 757 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:44,520 Speaker 2: it all the time. I tell my kids that I 758 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 2: could be gone tomorrow. You know, you just got to 759 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,960 Speaker 2: be ready, you know, because we do not know the. 760 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,880 Speaker 3: Day, no the hour right as it says. 761 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:56,359 Speaker 2: So I'm not worried about the foundation because the work 762 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,719 Speaker 2: we're doing is always going to be necessary, because there's 763 00:37:58,719 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 2: always going to be heroes dying us. 764 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:04,360 Speaker 1: Wow. Well, Frank Siller, what a legacy that you're passing 765 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 1: on not only to your family but to all of 766 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:08,879 Speaker 1: us and making us all a part of I thank 767 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: you for being here and for your outstanding work. And 768 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 1: God rests the soul of your dear brother Stephen and 769 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:17,120 Speaker 1: all those who offered the ultimate sacrifice for us, particularly 770 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:19,360 Speaker 1: as Memorial Day draw us closer. 771 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,520 Speaker 3: Thank you, Miss America, Thank you, Remy. 772 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 1: Here's the whole. There's something that Frank Siller said there. 773 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: I picked up on it when I first heard it. 774 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:32,160 Speaker 1: I even mentioned it to him where his brother Stephen said, 775 00:38:32,719 --> 00:38:36,880 Speaker 1: I will catch up with you later. And so many 776 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:40,480 Speaker 1: of these heroes we end up trying to catch up too. 777 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: We should be catching up to them, trying to follow 778 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:49,080 Speaker 1: at least their example of selfless sacrifice where they were 779 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,160 Speaker 1: more concerned about others than they were even about themselves. 780 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:55,719 Speaker 1: That's an incredible lesson and the underpinning of faith that 781 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 1: animates the entire Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which is something 782 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:03,520 Speaker 1: I didn't know before I started doing research. On this interview, 783 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 1: and I've known Frank Sila for a long time. You 784 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:09,279 Speaker 1: can support Tunnel to Towers by visiting them at t 785 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: the number two t ttwot dot org. I hope you'll 786 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:17,239 Speaker 1: come back to a Royal Grande soon. Why live a dry, 787 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:19,919 Speaker 1: constricted life when if you fill it with good things, 788 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:23,440 Speaker 1: it can flow into a broad driving a Royo Grande. 789 00:39:23,719 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: Make sure you subscribe and like this episode. Thanks for 790 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:31,320 Speaker 1: diving in. We'll see you next time. Royo Grande is 791 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:35,319 Speaker 1: produced in partnership with iHeart Podcasts and is available on 792 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:50,840 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.