9/11 Stairclimb 2024

I woke up this morning at 5:45 a.m. For the past four years I have considered this Saturday to be one of the most important Saturdays ever. This first Saturday of September is always the day my hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina hosts the event known as the 9/11 Stairclimb. This event is actually held in many cities across the country. They’re meant to commemorate the rescue workers who gave their lives saving lives on the morning of 9/11.

I woke up at 5:45 a.m. I got up that early in part because of my internal clock. After eating a quick breakfast I got washed up and put on one of my 9/11 shirts. I left my house around 8 o’ clock and made my way to downtown Greensboro. When I made it downtown I could tell the stairclimb was almost underway. I saw the fire trucks parked with the streets blocked off and then I parked down the street from the parking lot where the stairclimb was taking place.

As soon as I saw the fire trucks I got excited as I always do around this time. I was even more excited when I saw more people showing up like I was. It feels good to see a lot of people coming out to support the same cause. So I see all these firefighters and police officers setting up and then more townsfolk come join in. The first person I run into is a man named Jimmy and his wife, both of which I met at last year’s stairclimb. He recognize me right off the bat and told me he was glad to see I came back. I was really glad to see him too. Jimmy and his wife were also joined by some acquaintances of theirs who I also recognized from last year’s stairclimb. Jimmy’s wife started taking as many pictures of everyone as she could get.

As more people started showing up I noticed that our mayor was present. She helps host the event every year and gives the opening speech. While talking with Jimmy and the other oncoming participants a young girl named Sarah showed up and me and Jimmy started talking with her. She talked to us about how her father is a firefighter and she is paramedic. She also told me about how she was born two years after 9/11 so she never saw it in real time like some of us rather older people. As the mayor and the police chief gave their opening remarks they had a young girl sing the national anthem.

After the opening statements the stairclimb began. I put my headphones in my ear and started listening to the playlist I made of songs about 9/11 and began my stroll. As I began my climb I was joined by the young girl Sarah who me and Jimmy had just met only minutes ago. We both got to talking a lot about our personal history with 9/11. She told me the stories her parents gave her about what happened before she was born and I told her how I was in third grade when the attack happened and what I was doing as it was getting underway. I even told her what the aftermath was like as she listened on with interest.

Normally the journey of the stairclimb is very difficult. Make no mistake, it was still a burner this time around, but me and Sarah kept each other company with conversation the entire time as everyone who passed out water to us as we came down the stairs cheered us on. When me and Sarah completed our final lap she wanted to stop and take a victory selfie with me and did so with a lot of exhaust. In that instant we both made new friends. I told her I was a writer and how I was going to write about the stairclimb and she told me I should include her in my story and I told her I would.

After we finished our climb everyone stayed back and talked with each other awhile. I met the mayor and talked with her for a minute about seeing her at the event every year that I’ve been. Jimmy asked me for my contact info so we could stay in touch and in that moment one of my heroes and his wife became friends of mine. Once again I had another great year attending the 9/11 Stairclimb and I’m glad that there were a lot of people there to share the experience with once more.

~Dedicated to the memory of September 11th 2001.