JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has taken the load off of families of fallen first responders with a grand gift this holiday season.
The foundation announced this week that it has paid off the full mortgages on the homes of four Florida first responders who passed away across the state.
Among those four is Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Captain Thomas Barber.
He suffered a job-related medical emergency on Jun 14, 2021, after responding to a medical call the day before. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and a 21-year veteran of the department.
Captain Barber is survived by his wife Malissa Barber and their three children.
“The tragic loss of my husband left my children and I in shock and disbelief...our sense of security and stability has forever been shaken. There have been many tears and prayers over the correct ‘next steps’ for my family. I could not possibly express the relief and gratitude that I felt upon receiving your call. Tunnel to Towers is evidence of an answered prayer,” Malissa Barber said.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation also paid off the mortgages on the homes of Miccosukee Police Officer Horacio Sebastian Dominguez, Miami-Dade Police Captain Gustavo Duarte and Escambia Fire Rescue District Chief Dwain Bradshaw.
The announcement comes after the foundation broke ground this weekend on the “Let Us Do Good Village,” in Land O’Lakes, Florida.
The foundation says it will be a first-of-its-kind community made up of 110 homes that will be provided mortgage-free to the families of fallen first responders, Gold Star families, and catastrophically injured veterans.