{"id":327553,"date":"2026-07-02T18:36:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T18:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/327553\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T18:36:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T18:36:08","slug":"nonprofit-pays-off-mortgage-for-family-of-fallen-charlotte-deputy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/327553\/","title":{"rendered":"Nonprofit pays off mortgage for family of fallen Charlotte deputy"},"content":{"rendered":"

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WWSB) – A nonprofit that helps families of fallen first responders has come to the aid of the family a Charlotte County Sheriff\u2019s deputy killed in the line of duty in 2024.<\/p>\n

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is honoring the service and sacrifice of Sgt. Elio Diaz by paying off the mortgage on the home he provided for his family.<\/p>\n

Diaz was shot and killed on Dec. 15, 2024, following a traffic stop in Charlotte Harbor. The 40-year-old is survived by his wife, Yesenia Gonzalez, and four children. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis home is so much more than a house to us. It is a piece of my husband\u2019s heart and legacy,\u201d said Yesenia Gonzalez.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband always said this home was not just for us, but for our children and one day our grandchildren. He envisioned it as a safe haven. Knowing this home is now secure means more than words can express.\u201d <\/p>\n

Previous coverage:<\/p>\n

Charlotte County remembers Sergeant Elio Diaz one year after fatal shooting<\/a><\/p>\n

Charlotte County honors fallen sergeant with memorial sign<\/a><\/p>\n

2025 Brotherhood Ride making a special stop to honor fallen Charlotte County hero <\/a><\/p>\n

Born in Cuba, Diaz immigrated to the United States and settled in Miami. He joined the Charlotte County Sheriff\u2019s Office in 2013. In 2019, he was named Deputy of the Year and, in November 2024, received a Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Border Patrol\u2019s Miami Sector. <\/p>\n

Sgt. Diaz was posthumously promoted to sergeant and honored with the Medal of Honor from the American Police Hall of Fame and the Medal of Valor from the Fraternal Order of Police. <\/p>\n

More than 100 trees have been planted in his memory, creating a memorial forest. A stretch of highway has also been named the Sgt. Elio Diaz Memorial Highway, ensuring his legacy of service will never be forgotten. <\/p>\n

Through the Fallen First Responder Home Program, Tunnel to Towers pays off the mortgages of first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty or to 9\/11 or occupational illnesses, leaving behind young children. The program\u2019s mission is to provide the stability and security of a home to families coping with the sudden and tragic loss of a parent. <\/p>\n

In addition to paying off the mortgage, Tunnel to Towers will support Diaz\u2019s children through the Mae and George Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation Scholarship Program, which provides full scholarships for undergraduate degree programs and accredited trade schools to children of families served through the Fallen First Responder Home Program. <\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 WWSB. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WWSB) – A nonprofit that helps families of fallen first responders has come to the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":327554,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210,4250,4561,74935,15038,41887,135297],"class_list":["post-327553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news","tag-charlotte","tag-deputy","tag-diaz","tag-mortgage","tag-tower","tag-tunnel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=327553"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327553\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/327554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=327553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=327553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=327553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}