'I Have 2 Superheroes At Home:' Roslyn Heights Athlete Carries Family Legacy Of Service Through Advocacy

ROSLYN HEIGHTS, NY — A Roslyn Heights young woman is backed by more than just her parents – her extended family of first responders, too.

Twenty-year-old Casey Rhine is sharing the importance of supporting those who risk their lives to protect the nation as a Tunnel to Towers Student Athlete Advocate.

Both of Rhine's parents are first responders and have taught her the deep meaning of service. Her mother, Kristin Rhine, is an inspector with the Nassau County Police Department. Her father, Stephen Rhine, is a captain in the Fire Department of the City of New York and a former New York Police Department officer. Rhine said she strives to make them proud every day.

"I have two superheroes at home," she said. "My parents are my role models in every way. They emulate dedication, service, and sacrifice in a way that made me who I am today."

Along with growing up in a first-responder family, Rhine's mother was a volunteer firefighter responding to Ground Zero after the Sept. 11 attacks. She was joined by Rhine's grandfather, who later died from a 9/11-related illness.

"The connection to 9/11 and fire responder services runs deep in my family," she said. "As time pushes on, farther away from the original attack on 9/11 and the first responders who gave their lives, it is more important than ever to tell the stories of our heroes and loved ones."

Rhine, a Division I athlete and college junior, said her parents instilled in her the values of community, service, and hard work. She said the FDNY and Nassau County law enforcement community have embraced her throughout her life.

"My time spent with the FDNY and Nassau County law enforcement gave me a profound respect for all first responders and members of our armed forces," Rhine said. "Being a part of the FDNY and NCPD through my parents is like having a second family or a home away from home."

Tunnel to Towers Foundation honors the sacrifice of 9/11 first responder Stephen Siller by supporting veterans, first responders, and their families. The organization helps homeless veterans, builds smart homes for injured veterans, and provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families.

"Tunnel to Towers has been in my life for so long that it feels like family, too," she said.

Each year, Rhine attends Tunnel to Towers 5K runs alongside others with ties to first responders.

"Family isn't always blood, and I have learned that through the fire and police services," she said, adding that she is grateful to be part of the advocacy program. "Tunnel to Towers exemplifies this every day in all the work they do for our first responders and their families. Their impact on those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and those who continue to battle related illnesses and injury, is a remarkable thing."

Now, Rhine said she is working to uphold the same values she learned growing up.

"Becoming a D1 athlete is not the same thing as putting your life on the line, but it holds the same values that these first responders have," she said. "From a young age, I understood the importance of supporting those who risk their lives to protect our country."

Most recently, Tunnel to Towers launched initiatives to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11. One initiative is a nationwide tour transporting an authentic steel beam from Manhattan's World Trade Center to communities across the country.

According to its website, "This journey represents more than remembrance — it's a bridge between generations and a reminder that the spirit of service embodied by Stephen Siller, and so many others, continues to inspire Americans today."

Another initiative will provide 343 mortgage-free homes in tribute to the 343 FDNY members who lost their lives on 9/11.

"Each home represents a life lost, a family honored, and a promise kept," the website states.

Rhine hopes she and the other student-athlete advocates can help educate young people about the tragic day and its lasting impact.

"As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, fewer and fewer kids are familiar with what happened on that fateful day — one that shapes so many lives across the country," she said.

Every Sept. 11, Rhine attends memorial services with her father, beginning at St. Boniface Church in Brooklyn before visiting multiple firehouses throughout the day.

"When I was little, 9/11 had always been a day that, although I didn't understand it at first, was for reflection and remembrance," she said. "Even though it took me a while to fully understand what was really going on, the one thing that stuck with me was the amount of men and women who came together for this."

Rhine said serving as a first responder comes with countless sacrifices, both on and off the job.

"The firehouse, like most other first responder jobs, is much more than their profession: they are a family," she said. "The 24-hour shifts that were moved around to make sure that my Dad would be there with me to open gifts on Christmas morning or walking me across the field at my senior day in High school were just tiny sacrifices made from his other family at the firehouse."

Her mother's police precinct has shown her the same support.

"Anytime I walk in there to drop off lunch or to say hello, I have at least five officers coming up to me to ask about my latest goals scored or trips I have gone on," she said, adding that even if she doesn't know as much about them, they all care deeply about her.

Rhine said organizations such as the FDNY and NCPD become much more than workplaces.

"They really become family," she said.

Growing up in a service household means the world to Rhine.

"I am a proud daughter," Rhine said.