9/11 Memorial Stair Climb brings emotion and memories

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - September 11th, 2001, a day that many Americans no matter the state you lived in, will always remember as a day that changed the world forever.

Early Monday morning, the Natrona County Fire-EMS Department along with law enforcement agencies, hosted a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, bringing people from around Natrona county together in remembrance of the 2,977 lives that were tragically lost 22 years ago. Timothy Garcia, a volunteer fire fighter for Salt Creek emergency services says on the 9/11 attacks “It was a sad day but it also brought everyone together, it didn’t matter who they were, where they were from, they came together to help each other out.” The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb was held at the Ford Wyoming Center from 6 am to 1 pm, giving an opportunity for many to walk the 2,200 steps it would have taken for emergency responders to reach the 110th floor of the World Trade Center 22 years ago. Toph Steinhoff, the public information officer for Casper Fire-EMS says “I guess I was really tired, and thinking man they had to go to work after this is done, this is just the road to get there but once they got there they still had to do work.” Toph continues “It was humbling, and it brings a whole new appreciation for what they did that day and the sacrifice that they made.”

Humbling was a common theme for the men and women who climbed the 2,200 stairs on Monday, Wanda Street, the chief deputy for Evansville Fire-EMS says “It’s very humbling, very humbling, it’s also very humbling I went to New York City several years ago and saw the memorials, super humbling to see their sacrifice for us.”

September 11th brings a sense of remembrance, and reminds others to serve their community, “Everybody gives, it’s not take, take, take, we give, we stop, we mourn and pay our respects...” says Garcia “And we do this, and we walk up those stairs until we hit the 110th floor equivalent, and it’s just you got to give back, and that’s all we do.”

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