Today marks the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
In Dayton, residents participated in a stair climb to honor the first responders who risked their lives on that day.
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The LION Gem City 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, now in its 11th year, challenges participants to climb the equivalent of 110 floors of the World Trade Center, paying tribute to the more than 300 firefighters who died in the line of duty.
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“The firefighters and police officers are credited with saving anywhere from 20 to 30,000 people that day through evacuations and everything,” said Colin Altman, LION Coordinator.
Despite the significance of the event, participation has been declining, which Colin Altman attributes to younger generations not fully understanding the gravity of 9/11.
“They weren’t alive, or if they were, they were 2 or 3 years old. I think just as a society, as we go farther from these events, they mean less,” Altman explained.
The stair climb also serves as a fundraiser, having raised about $200,000 over the past 11 years for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
This foundation supports the families of fallen firefighters across the country.
Registration for the event ends Friday at 5 p.m., but participants can still sign up on the day of the challenge, Saturday morning at the UD Arena.
The stair climb in Dayton stands as a poignant reminder of the heroism displayed on Sept. 11, 2001, and continues to support the families of those who sacrificed their lives.
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