NYC nonprofit raises enough money to pay off Chesna family’s mortgage

Weymouth Police Sergeant Michael C. ChesnaGARY HIGGINS/THE QUINCY PATRIOT LEDGER VIA AP

A New York City nonprofit has raised enough money to pay off the mortgage on the home of slain Weymouth Police Sergeant Michael Chesna.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. Thursday at Weymouth Police Headquarters to present Chesna’s family with a mortgage payoff letter, said Frank Siller, chief executive of the foundation that honors his brother.

“I can’t wait to be there tomorrow to hand over this paid mortgage so this family knows that [Sgt. Chesna’s] sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Siller said in an interview Wednesday. “We need to make sure [his wife Cindy] knows that we appreciate what her family has done for her community, and her husband, what he’s done for our country.”

Tunnel to Towers, established in memory of fallen 9/11 firefighter Stephen Siller, supports military and first responders who are killed in the line of duty. In addition to his service with the Weymouth Police Dept., Sgt. Chesna was also a military veteran having served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The foundation did not disclose how much money needed to be raised, to protect the family’s privacy. Chesna, 42, lived in Hanover with his wife, Cynthia and two young children.

Tunnel to Towers kicked off the campaign with a $100,000 contribution shortly after Chesna was killed in the line of duty on July 15. Since then, donations poured in from all 50 states, Israel and the Phillipines, the foundation said.

Peco Real Estate Partners (PREP), owner of the Hanover Mall, made a $25,000 contribution. Donations were also received from the City of Boston Credit Union and Run to Remember Boston, Siller said.

“We depend on the kindness and the generosity of many individuals,” Siller said. “And to see it happen in a pretty fast, timely fashion as we just did for the Chesna family, we couldn’t be any more ecstatic.”