Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office honors Sgt. Jeffrey VanderGoot during Tunnel to Towers Arena Climb
BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Somerset County) — Members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office participated in the Tunnel to Towers Arena Climb at Somerset Patriots Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 1, honoring the memory of Sgt. Jeffrey VanderGoot.
The annual event supports the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which was established to honor FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who died while responding to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks after running through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in full firefighting gear to reach the World Trade Center.
Inspired by Siller’s sacrifice, the foundation provides mortgage-free homes to the families of fallen military service members and first responders, builds specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, and works to end veteran homelessness.
This year, members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office formed a team in memory of VanderGoot, who died unexpectedly on March 19, 2026.
VanderGoot served in the United States Marine Corps, including assignments as a Marine Security Guard at U.S. embassies in Luxembourg and Honduras. Following his military service, he began a 27-year law enforcement career, serving with the Peapack-Gladstone Police Department and the Hillsborough Township Police Department before joining the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the prosecutor’s office, participating in the Tunnel to Towers Arena Climb was a meaningful way for colleagues to honor VanderGoot’s dedication to military service, law enforcement and the community.
The prosecutor’s office said VanderGoot’s commitment to public service and his legacy of courage, compassion and integrity continue to inspire those who worked alongside him.
