Conor McGregor Donates $1M To First Responders, Tunnel To Towers

Irish mix martial artist Conor McGregor reacts after a first period goal by Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (not seen) against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the TD Garden.
Photo credit Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

MMA star Conor McGregor has been known to make an impact in the octagon. Now, he hopes his whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve can do the same. 

On Tuesday, McGregor and Proper No. Twelve donated $1.3 million to first responders including the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a New York-based foundation. The Irishman pledged to donate $1 million to Tunnel to Towers in order to help pay off mortgages for families of law enforcement officers and firefighters "killed in the line of duty and left behind young children."

"It's just incredible for someone with his stature, but he wants to make a difference," said Frank Siller, Stephen's brother, via TMZ. "This is a big difference. One million is a lot of money and will help us with many, many houses and mortages to pay off."

In November, McGregor stressed the importance of giving back to first responders on the one-year anniversary of Proper No. Twelve. He'd previously gifted a Boston firehouse with World Series tickets and visited Chicago's first responders in 2019. On the back of each bottle, McGregor proclaims his pride to donate to first responders with each bottle sold. 

A tremendous thank you to Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) & his @ProperWhiskey for the generous donation of $1 million to #Tunnel2Towers. McGregor hopes to inspire others to join our cause and we're honored to have him with us as we support our nation's greatest heroes. pic.twitter.com/M0sSD7nLwu

— Tunnel To Towers (@Tunnel2Towers) March 10, 2020

“When I started this business, it was very important to me to give back," McGregor said in a statement. "The Tunnel to Towers Foundation supports the brave men and women who put themselves in harm's way every day, we are proud to help them continue their work."

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was set up in Stephen Siller's honor after the firefighter was killed on 9/11. He ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel with roughly 60 lbs. of equipment towards the Twin Towers. McGregor's donation will span across various programs to help families of first responders. 

"It is a very large donation," Siller said. "It's not the largest, but I will say by far and way it's the largest from any athlete. It's not even close and we've had some great athletes that have gotten involved with us. I consider Conor as one of the top athletes in the world. For him to endorse us like this, it's just going to make such a difference for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation."