DENVER — The stairwell of 1801 California Street was met with heavy foot traffic Tuesday as firefighters from all across the state climbed 110 stories to honor the first responders killed on September 11, 2001.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Denver 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb , a tribute started by five firefighters.
“As we complete our 20th event here in downtown Denver, we acknowledge how the program has evolved and turned into something nationally, but we also want to always go back to why we’re doing this and what we’re doing it for, and that’s to remember the sacrifices from September 11th and the sacrifices that are still being made today,” said Oren Bersagel-Briese, one of the founders of the Denver 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.
Before crews began their ascent, a moment of silence was held for the 343 firefighters whose lives were taken on 9/11.
Maggy Wolanske “It really is something that we can’t ever have thought could happen from what we did that first day to where it’s gone right now,” Bersagel-Briese said. “But, it just suggests how the stair climb itself is different than other events and how walking through stairs is the physical exertion that you have to outlay in order to complete a stair climb.”