MORRISON, Colo. — On Tuesday morning, an estimated crowd of 2,300 came to Red Rocks Amphitheatre to walk the stairs in memory of the victims and heroes of 9/11. They came from 26 states and Canada for what has become the largest 9/11 stair climb in the country.
Participants were invited to walk nine times around the amphitheatre to equate to the 110 stories of the World Trade Center towers. Many climbers wore badges with pictures of FDNY firefighters who lost their lives.
"When you get the badge it makes it more real — to do it for one person," said Sandra Lazare Johnston.
Firefighters from departments all over Colorado dressed in full gear to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters killed on September 11th. Some were still children in 2001.
"I remember sitting in class and watching the towers come down and I decided I had to do something that day, so here I am now I'm a firefighter," said Justin Reed with the Rattlesnake Fire Protection District.
He carried his 9-week-old daughter, Kennedy in his arms today for her first climb.
"We don't want her to forget," he said. "We'll never forget and this is our way of remembering those who died that day and sacrificed everything."
The rookie class @WestyFire before annual 9/11 memorial stair climb @RedRocksCO pic.twitter.com/LAwwY6JvFz
— Nicole Brady (@NicoleDenver7) September 11, 2018
