Lisa Mantei and Family Support Heroes at the 2025 Firecracker 5K for Tunnels to Towers

This Fourth of July weekend, Lisa Mantei joined her husband, Col. Rick Mantei, and their daughter Sara at Hilton Head Island’s 2025 Firecracker 5K, all running to support the Tunnels to Towers Foundation. As Hilton Head’s oldest and largest race, the Firecracker 5000 is a cherished local tradition that combines the spirit of Independence Day with meaningful giving.

A portion of proceeds and all donations from the race benefit the Tunnels to Towers Foundation. This remarkable organization provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, builds specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, and works to combat veteran homelessness—all while keeping the promise to never forget the sacrifices made on September 11, 2001.

For Lisa, being there with Rick and Sara wasn’t just about completing the 5K—it was about standing together as a family to honor America’s heroes, support the families who sacrifice so much, and give back to a cause they all believe in deeply. The event underscored Lisa’s lifelong commitment to service, philanthropy, and building a community that remembers and cares for those who have given so much for our freedom.