'I'm Working To Inform People:' Massapequa Native Joins Tunnel To Towers As Advocate

MASSAPEQUA, NY. — Neave Bowman, a Massapequa native and sophomore attacker on the Stonehill College lacrosse team, signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal Monday that will see her undertake a volunteer advocacy role with the veteran and first responder housing nonprofit Tunnel To Towers Foundation.

Bowman will be joined by Rockaway, Queens native Mary Kinnane, as well as Staten Island native Danielle Williamsen, making up Tunnel To Towers’ newest class of student-athlete ambassadors.

A registered 501(c)3, Tunnel To Towers’ most prominent advocacy work comes in the form of mortgage-free homes, provided to the families of Gold Star and fallen first responders. According to its website, the organization has doled out over $1 billion in support of military veterans and first responders since its founding, with 93% of its funds going direct to programs.

The NIL program was launched in September 2021, and has brought on 24 student-athletes as part of the initiative.

For Bowman, the connection to a first responders and veterans’ organization was natural: Her dad, Dan, was an active FDNY firefighter who worked a “stone’s throw” from ground zero on Sept. 11, 2001. That familial connection, Neave Bowman told Patch Monday, made Tunnel To Towers a perfect organization to work with as an ambassador.

“My dad is an FDNY firefighter and was in New York City on September 11, 2001, and he saw the events of that day firsthand,” Bowman said. “He was right there and was part of the sacrifices made, so it's really important that that sacrifice is both honored and recognized. And I think Tunnel To Towers does a great job of both of those things.”

For Dan Bowman, the news that his daughter had been selected as an NIL ambassador was a source of pride, both as a father and a first responder.

“I was extremely proud. She's always been of high character, hardworking, and self motivated. She took it upon herself to do the research about this program and applied completely on her own,” Dan Bowman said. “So, obviously, that was, to me, showed how high character it was. It was a volunteer position. She's adding this to her profile that she wants to be an advocate for something that was so tragic, but also exemplified great bravery and character of those that responded, attempted to help and did help. She's not just a talented athlete, but intelligent, kind, selfless and a leader. She took the initiative to be part of a great organization with a great message, and they currently honor and sacrifice all of those first responders, military, and their families. She's a great representative for the cause.”

Bowman said the ambassadorship came about after she saw another student-athlete involved with the organization posting about it on Instagram, at which point she started reading up on the program and filling out her application. When asked how it felt to have signed on as an ambassador, Bowman said it felt, “awesome.”

“It feels awesome. It's super important to me, everything that Tunnel To Towers stands for is very important to me so it's super exciting,” Bowman said Monday.

As for her plans now that she’s an ambassador, Neave said her main goal is promoting awareness of what Sept. 11, 2001 meant to so many people, including the families of first responders who never made it home. As a New Yorker, Neave said, it was easier to see people with direct connections to the tragedy than it might be elsewhere, including, for example, Easton, MA, where Stonehill is based.

“I go to school in Massachusetts so 9/11 is viewed a little bit differently there. No one — or I should say, not as many people — have a direct connection,” Neave said. “So I think I'm just working to inform people, and help people understand what happened, and spread the importance of remembering and honoring to those who don't have as direct of a connection. They might not completely understand, so I'm just trying to spread that understanding.”

In a Monday news release announcing the ambassadorship, Tunnel To Towers Foundation CEO and Chairman Frank Siller said the student-athletes were helping "cement the legacy" of fallen first responders.

“In the fifth year of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation Student-Athlete Advocate Program, we are welcoming our biggest set of students the Foundation has ever had," Siller said. “These amazing athletes bring their drive and passion from the courts and fields to America’s military and first responder families. This group — each having been born after the events of September 11th, 2001 — is helping to cement the legacy of our fallen heroes in the hearts and minds of the next generation.”

Neave told Patch she’s studying health sciences at Stonehill, adding that she would love to stay involved with the nonprofit after graduation. To her father, the work she’s already doing is crucial.

“As a first responder, and somebody that was on duty that day, it is very important that we never forget what happened on 9/11, 2001. The stories should be told correctly and respectfully,” Dan Bowman said. “Having an ambassador of high quality and performance with direct connections to those that were involved is important to the message. It was a tragic day for so many, so besides never forgetting those that perished, it is equally important to tell the story of bravery, character, and sacrifice. It's important to have the high quality character and understanding that Neave exemplifies.”