PALM COAST, Fla. – Hundreds of people gathered Saturday for the fifth annual Tunnel to Towers 5K in Palm Coast, joining together to remember the lives lost on September 11 and to honor the first responders and everyday citizens who continue to carry that spirit of service.
This year’s event drew 411 registered participants and included emotional tributes, including the presentation of the Follow the Footsteps Award to the family of Robert “Sparky” MacDonald.
A former volunteer firefighter from New Jersey, MacDonald was remembered as one of the event’s biggest champions. Though retired, he became a familiar face at the annual race, often completing the 5K in full bunker gear despite being in his 70s and using a walker.
Palm Coast Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill said MacDonald embodied the same spirit of selflessness that inspired Tunnel to Towers founder Stephen Siller.
“Bob MacDonald was a wonderful advocate for police and firefighters,” Berryhill said. “He was a great representative of what a citizen can do. He didn’t have influence because of what he owned. He had influence because of how much he cared.”
MacDonald passed away in December. Friends recently donated a magnolia tree in his memory, planting it in the park during what would have been his 75th birthday week.
His wife, Carole MacDonald, said the recognition ensures her husband’s legacy will continue.
“My husband was a firefighter, a volunteer firefighter up in New Jersey,” she said. “He just wanted something to do, and he became friends with the fire department. It’s just an honor. His memory will live on forever now as part of this.”
She said the greatest lesson her husband left for both his family and the community was simple.
“Help each other and love one another,” Carole MacDonald said. “And believe in God, that he’s supporting you in everything you do.”
Their daughter, Courtney MacDonald, accepted the award alongside her mother and son Nathan. She recalled how her father helped bring the Tunnel to Towers race to the city and returned year after year.
“Every year, we did it together,” Courtney MacDonald said.
She said the city’s decision to honor her father, including planting a memorial tree, shows that even ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.
“It shows how important even just a citizen is,” she said. “You’re not just a citizen. You’re stepping up, and you’re honoring the heroes that were lost on 9/11 and showing future kids what you can do. The fire department and the sheriff’s department and the city have been wonderful.”
The ceremony also recognized a young man already carrying that message into the next generation.
Sheriff Rick Staly presented the Youth Follow in Your Footsteps Award to Michael Hall of Oviedo, who has carried flags and run in honor of fallen heroes across the country. Hall came to the area last year to run a mile in memory of the first Flagler County Sheriff’s Office K-9 to die in the line of duty.
Hall has now carried 27 flags for fallen heroes.
“When you see a young man who’s willing to do this, it means we have a bright future,” Staly said. “These are the kids you should be hearing about. They deserve the headlines.”
Staly praised the example set by Hall and the many other good kids like him.
“You know, you guys in the media pick up on all the kids that make the wrong decisions,” he said. “I’m glad some of the media is here today to pick up on what 99.9 percent of the kids really do.”
Hall, a high school sophomore who runs with the Running 4 Heroes program, said he first became connected with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office after participating in a run honoring the agency’s fallen K-9.
“I just did a run for the K-9 not too long ago,” Hall said. “I guess they found out about it and thought it was cool, and they organized all this.”
Hall said he was surprised to be singled out for recognition.
“A little bit,” he said. “People are always super grateful for what I do.”
He explained that Running 4 Heroes raises money to support the families of fallen first responders and provide scholarships for injured officers, firefighters and canines.
His mother, Rica Hall, said the experience has given their family a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices made by first responders and the impact one person can have.
“Before we got involved, we didn’t know how many fallen there are and how big of an impact you can have,” she said. “Now it means so much to be able to do anything at all.”
For Berryhill, the event continues to hold special meaning because it reflects the best of people in the face of tragedy. He shared the story of Stephen Siller, the New York firefighter who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in full gear after learning the Twin Towers had been attacked.
“He said, ‘They need me,’” Berryhill said. “And he ran to the scene and perished that day doing good.”
Berryhill said Siller’s example continues to guide the mission of Tunnel to Towers.
“While we have time, let us do good,” he said, repeating one of Siller’s favorite sayings. “In response to tragedy, we don’t have to be the worst version of ourselves. We get to be the best version of ourselves.”
Volunteer director Patrick Appolonia said watching the event grow over the past five years has been especially rewarding.
“Each year it gets better and better,” Appolonia said. “We’ve seen a lot of new people move here that are excited to take part.”
For Appolonia, continuing to remember September 11 remains essential.
“9/11 was such a pivotal day in history,” he said. “It’s important for the next generation that maybe wasn’t around or was too young to remember. History is our story of our country.”
Palm Coast City Councilwoman Teresa Pontieri said she was proud to see the event continue to grow after the city first helped bring it to the community.
“I’m here to support our first responders and remember 9/11,” Pontieri said. “It was such a big deal when we were able to bring this here as a city, and it’s continued to grow.”
Pontieri said what stood out most was seeing families from multiple generations participating together.
“What makes me feel good about this is to see the different generations out here today,” she said. “All of us who were old enough to remember 9/11 will never forget it, but it’s really important that we teach the next generation about all the sacrifices that our men and women make every day to keep us safe.”
Among those attending was Sal Passalaqua of Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home, who said the turnout reflected a community that refuses to forget.
“It feels great,” Passalaqua said. “We don’t forget, and we still remember them. And we’re here to honor them today.”
