HARRISBURG — The foundation raising money to benefit the family of slain Deputy U.S. Marshal Christopher Hill has raised $235,000 in just over a week, according to its chairman and CEO.
Frank Siller, who established the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation in honor of a fallen 9/11 firefighter, made the announcement Monday. He said the foundation has received donations from every state in the union and Canada.
The foundation’s initial goal was to raise enough money to pay off the Hill family home. The funds raised are in addition to the initial $100,000 the Tunnel to Towers Foundation donated, Siller said.
“Once again, goodness triumphs over evil and the generosity of people shines through,” Siller said in the announcement. “The fact that we raised such a substantial amount of money in such a brief period of time, allowing us the ability to pay off the mortgage on Chris Hill’s home, clearly shows that Americans want his widow and children to know his heroism and sacrifice will not be forgotten — and neither will they.”
Siller said there will be a ceremony in the near future with family members in attendance to mark the paying off of the mortgage.
Tunnel to Towers also announced that 100 percent of the money raised beyond the amount necessary to pay off the mortgage on the family home will go to the Hill family.
Hill, who was shot and killed while helping a U.S. Marshals task force serve an arrest warrant on the 1800 block of Mulberry Street in Harrisburg, was laid to rest last Thursday. In a moving display of unity and remembrance, his body was escorted by police and firefighters from the Geigle Funeral Home to Hershey’s Giant Center for a public memorial service.
He left behind a wife and two children.
