BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo man is heading to New York City this weekend to run in the Tunnel to Towers race in memory of his father, who died in the Sept. 11 attacks — a father he never had the chance to meet.
Joseph Jones carries a piece of his father with him everywhere he goes.
"In my wallet, I keep a picture of my dad and his business card, which has always stayed with me since I was a kid," Jones said.
His father, Art Jones, was one of more than 2,700 people who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Art Jones was a commodities trader on the 92nd floor of the South Tower.
"Everything that I know about my dad is through stories and pictures of. From his friends and from our family," Jones said.
"He was a commodities trader on the 92nd floor of the South Tower," Jones said.
"My dad, he loved my mom, his three children at the time. He had just found out that he was going to be having another 4th child," Jones said.
That fourth child was Joseph.
For the last 25 years, the Jones family has worked to keep Art Jones' memory alive. They started the AJJ Scholarship Fund and hold annual golf tournaments in his honor.
"Some people have stories that they inherit that I think is still valuable to spread and teach others about," Jones said.
As Joseph grew up, he and his friends found another way to honor his father's memory.
"Let's get a group together for the tunnels to Towers run when we could all run together and go celebrate afterwards. And now we're on our 3rd year of doing that," Jones said.
WATCH: Buffalo man keeps father's memory alive at 9/11 Tunnel to Towers race in NYC
The Tunnel to Towers race is held in memory of New York firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
"It's a very emotional run, especially thinking about [how] you're running through the tunnel and you're seeing all these firemen in full gear. They've got... some of them... up to like 60 pounds on their back," Jones said.
Joseph Jones will be joined by a team of friends and family for this year's run.
Donations raised go to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and to his father's fund. Here's a link to the scholarship fund and how to donate.
"Really we just ask people to read the story, to donate if they can, to share to a friend, and that's how we can keep a story like this, you know, going on for many years," Jones said.
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