Douglas Carpet One stores honored for supporting Sept. 11 foundation

NORTH AURORA – Douglas Carpet One Floor & Home owner Mike Douglas said he will always be grateful to the emergency workers who responded to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

On Monday, Mike Jezycki, a retired captain with the New York City Fire Department, presented Douglas with a specially designed shadow box containing steel that was recovered from ground zero after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Jezycki made the presentation to thank the North Aurora and Geneva Carpet One stores for their support of a Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation program – Building for America's Bravest.

The Building for America's Bravest program builds hi-tech "smart homes" for service members returning from war who have been catastrophically injured. Carpet One and its manufacturing partner Mohawk have committed to providing flooring materials and installation for 46 such homes. The goal is to collect a donation of $10 – or more – from each customer to build more smart homes.

The foundation is named in honor of New York firefighter Stephen Siller, who died responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was 34.

“We are truly humbled and honored that the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and members of the FDNY – who were actually at ground zero on 9/11 and during its aftermath – are traveling all the way from their home base to visit us and express their gratitude to us,” Douglas said. “In fact, we are the ones who are thankful to them for their dedication and service. That is why we are so thrilled to be part of this impactful program that helps military heroes who have sustained the most devastating injuries.”

Jezycki also responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the memories from that day still haunt him.

“I got there just as the second tower came down,” he said during a presentation at the North Aurora store. “It’s a difficult thing to even think about.”

North Aurora Fire Chief Ryan Lambert and other firefighters also attended the presentation at the North Aurora store, along with North Aurora Village President Dale Berman.

“I don’t think that there is anyone more deserving than those you are serving,” Berman told Jezycki.

Jezycki also gave a presentation at the Geneva store.