Photo Credit: ETVMA & Public Domain
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
In order to honor the memory of a fallen marine, a Tennessee foundation has paid off his family’s mortgage. S. Marine Corps CPL Kristopher Daniel Greer from Pleasant View died in 2010 in the line of duty, at 25 years old.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation paid off the homes of other Gold Star families and fallen first responders on Thursday, October 7. The foundation was established to help families of veterans and first responders pay off their mortgages.
According to the Tunnel to Towers’ website, their mission “honors the sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001.”
They also work to “honor our military and first responders who continue to make the supreme sacrifice of life and limb for our country.”
On Thursday the Greer family was told their mortgage had been paid in full.
Greer’s wife Stacy told WKRN, “I’m just really thankful to the foundation for giving us this gift. I still can’t believe it.”
Jeanna Dellaragione, the foundation’s Executive Director, said they have paid for 500 homes since beginning their work 20 years ago. She told WKRN that $250,000 is the average cost of a mortgage.
“We want to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and safety,” Dellaragione said.
Greer was killed by an IED when serving an eight month deployment in Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife, and their two children.
According to Fox 17, Greer was serving in the 4th Combat Engineering Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve out of Knoxville.
Thursday was the foundation’s biggest one-day mortgage payoff. It was funded through donations raised by Never Forget programs.
“This year, Americans came together to remember the incredible loss of life that occurred 20 years ago when evil struck at the heart of our great nation,” Tunnel to Towers CEO and Chairman Frank Siller said in a statement. “The Tunnel to Towers Foundation promised to NEVER FORGET what happened on that day and so many people across the country have joined us on our mission of doing good by giving back to our heroes, both living and fallen. Thanks to the generosity of this great nation, the Greer family and 49 additional families will never have to worry about making another mortgage payment, and will always have a place to call home.”
During the one-day payoff, the foundation paid for the homes for 20 police officers, 12 firefighters, 6 army soldiers, a state trooper, a Sheriff’s Deputy, a conservation officer, and more.
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In May, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation gave the family of U.S. Army Private First Class Michael Pridham a mortgage free-home, according to WDRB. The 19-year-old Kentucky soldier was killed in 2010 during Operation Enduring Freedom.
It was one of 20 mortgage-free homes given to families during a Memorial Day ceremony.
“Memorial Day is a day to acknowledge those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Siller said in a statement he released at the time. “These heroes gave up their lives for our freedom and we will give the families they left behind a place where they can live free of the financial burden of a mortgage.”
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Directory for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
