On Veterans Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation honors those who have served our country by providing mortgage-free homes to eleven veteran and military families, including the family of U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Michael Harris.
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Foundation vice chairman George Siller presided over a ribbon cutting ceremony outside the Harris family home in Fayetteville last week.
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Tunnel to Towers has repaid its mortgage in full after it was previously announced on Memorial Day that it would join the Foundation’s Gold Star Family Home program.
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SPC Christopher Michael Harris
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25-year-old SPC Harris was killed in Afghanistan on August 2, 2017. It was only a month after his first deployment when a vehicle filled with explosives exploded near his convoy, killing him.
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He left behind his pregnant wife, Britt, who was expecting their first child. She welcomed her daughter Christian Michelle in March 2018.
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The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Gold Star Family Home program recognizes the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country by providing mortgage-free homes to surviving spouses and young children.
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“I feel like I did a lot on my own after Chris died, and I did my best to make good financial decisions for myself and our daughter, but at some point it got a lot to do alone,” says Britt Harris . “Being a first time home buyer was a lot of stress and even more hard work. The Tunnel to Towers family has helped me to relieve this stress, give me more financial freedom and ensure that our daughter and I have more security. We are forever grateful! “
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She says it felt nice to choose Veterans Day for the payout.
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“Memorial Day was also my and Chris ‘private wedding anniversary and the day we were accepted by Tunnel to Towers, and the week before Veterans Day was Chris’ birthday,” she says. “So it’s perfect for me. It feels like Chris is part of all of this with me. “
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That Veterans Day, Tunnel to Towers, also paid off mortgages on the homes of 11 other families across the country. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s mission is to honor the sacrifice of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller who gave his life on September 11, 2001 to save others. To date, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has spent more than $ 250 million to honor and support our first responders and veterans and their families.
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