INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) Jack Kielty was off duty when the World Trade Center was hit.Like so many other off-duty New York City firefighters that day, the Staten Island native was called in to provide backup as the Twin Towers burne d."Traffic was horrific because they closed all the bridges and tunnels," he said. "I was physically on the Verrazzano Bridge (from Staten Island to Brooklyn) going to my firehouse in Brooklyn when the first tower fell. I did 14 years on the Lower East Side. And I knew with certainty, I wasn't sure of their names yet, but I knew I had a hundred people I knew just die in front of my face."Sept. 11, 2001 was the deadliest terrorist attack and the worst lost of life among firefighters in U.S. history. The attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, plus the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93, killed a total of 2,977 people, including 343 New York City firefighters, 23 NYPD officers and 37 officers of the Port Authority of New York New Jersey Police Department. Another 8,000 have died in the years since from illnesses related to exposure to the toxic dust from the attack sites.Kielty retired after 40 years with the Fire Department of New York City. He is now part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's Steel Across America Tour. The tour is bringing a 20-foot floor beam from the South Tower of the World Trade Center to more than 35 stops in 21 states and Washington, D.C. On Wednesday morning, Indianapolis firefighters and police officers hosted the beam and its FDNY honor guard escort at the Indiana War Memorial.Kielty said many people have strong emotional reactions when they see the beam. Some pray. Some cry. Some touch it."It's been amazing, overwhelming. People have been approaching this almost like it's a holy relic," he said. "It's humbling to see the response that most Americans have to this piece of steel."Mike Benigni and his wife brought their four young children to see the beam. Benigni, who was in middle school on 9/11, said he has not yet discussed the attacks in detail with his children, so this was a good way to begin teaching them about the attack."In life, tragedy happens, whether it's in your family and in the world, and the important thing is you learn from it and move on in memory of whatever happened," he said. "I think understanding all those things is what prepares them for what happens in life."The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was started in memory of firefighter Stephen Siller. On 9/11, Siller had just gotten off of his shift when word came that United Airlines Flight 11 had hit the North Tower. Siller was unable to reach the site by car because the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel had been closed, so he threw his gear on his back and ran through the tunnel toward the towers. He arrived just as the South Tower collapsed. His body was never recovered.The foundation started by paying off the mortgages of surviving spouses of fallen first responders and military servicemembers. It has since begun providing mortgage-free smart homes to veterans with disabilities.New Jersey native Scott Nokes, who was 10 years old on the day of the attacks, served two tours of duty in Afghanistan with the Marines and spent about three years as a firefighter before he lost his legs and his sight to a service-connected sepsis infection. Nokes received a smart home through the foundation and is also part of the nationwide tour."To be able to come out with this incredible piece of steel, with these incredible firefighters from New York, to be able to hear their stories, to be able to meet fellow first responders, average, everyday people that support the mission, the mission of the foundation is to never forget, and that's what we're doing today," he said. "Every stop is unique, every stop is beautiful, and the people we meet along the way are what made this trip worth it."The Steel Across America Tour's next stop is in Cincinnati. The beam will arrive in New York City on the 25th anniversary of the attacks. ...read more read less