On a wet Friday morning, more than 80 people gathered at the Summerwind condo on Navarre Beach to climb 110 flights of stairs marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and paying respects to the victims.
The Navarre Beach Fire Rescue has hosted this event for seven years. Most of the participants were firefighters from the area and some were civilians who were up for the challenge and the opportunity to support local first responders.
Niceville Fire Department Chief Alex Kukulus, and his wife, Breanne, joined the stair climb when Niceville’s event was rained out. It was important to honor the day, said Alex.
“I was a young fireman when that happened and remember it vividly like everybody else,” he said. “It’s hard to express the emotions. It’s impacted everybody differently. It’s really about remembering everybody, not just the first responders, but really everybody that was impacted that day and keeping their memories alive.”
Jason Martino has been in fire service for 35 years. This day has a personal effect on him, like many firefighters. Of the nearly 3,000 victims, 343 were firefighters.
“It affects us because it puts a hint of reality in what you do and what you’ve been doing,” he said.
Martino tries to instill that reality in young firefighters he works with.
“I have guys on my job that weren’t even born,” he said. “So, I brought all the magazines in today and we’re going to listen to the audio when I go back to work.”
The day’s event consists of climbing 11 flights of stairs 10 times to total the 110 flights of stairs at the World Trade Center. Firefighters like Martino completed the climb with their gear on, which adds about 50 extra pounds.
“It puts that physical realism into what the guys were doing in the tower that day,” he added.
Martino admits he felt like quitting more than halfway through the challenge.
“On my sixth, seventh round, I was like you know what? I paid my respects, I gotta go to work.”
But then he thought of first responders 25 years ago.
“You remember those guys and you finish,” he said.
Tracie Becker, a Navarre Beach resident, said she trained at the stairwell ahead of the event. She also watched videos online — stories from those who were rescued by firefighters.
“Before coming here today, I pulled up videos of people who were brought to safety and survived the towers collapsing on 9/11 and who have seen those firemen, and listened to their testimonies and had that in my heart and mind.”
For Stephanie Mendez, there was a personal connection. Her stepmother’s first husband was one of the victims on 9/11. The veteran and former police officer wore his photo on her shirt for the climb.
“He was on the 104th floor of the South Tower and went down with the building,” she said.
Mendez has honored each Sept. 11 anniversary, usually with a climb on her Stair Master. Today, she joined others wearing a photo of Wolfworth.
“I think that a lot of America has forgotten about 9/11, and I think that if we show our presence and do these memorials … the younger generation will see the reason why we say Never Forget."
Mendez was 14 when the attacks occurred. She said it inspired her to join the service.
“I joined the Navy and did four years and then finished and went back to school and became a police officer,” she said. “I don’t think that I would’ve ever joined the military or law enforcement if 9/11 never happened.”
As a parent of two daughters, Mendez said she’s made a point to teach them about the events of that day.
“They know everything — the good, the bad, the ugly, the heroism that’s come of it.”
As people walked from one stairwell to their next round, volunteers were cheering, ready with cold water and towels. Some took breaks in between rounds. Some shredded bits of gear or jackets.
Bagdad Fire Rescue Firefighter Jason Butts said the day’s challenge isn’t quite the same as the events 25 years ago.
“To be able to run to do those flights of stairs knowing you’re trying to save somebody, that’s a lot,” he said. “What we do here today doesn’t compare to what they’ve been through.”
Kameron Douglas, who is in the fire academy, said she doesn’t think one day out of the year is enough to remember.
“It’s unimaginable the loss everybody endured that day,” she said.
Travis Crupe, an Army veteran, and his wife Autumn participated in the climb after seeing a flyer on a Facebook group. They put on weighted vests and joined a few dozen locals climbing the stairs.
“I love to do these things because I can remember how blessed I am … we’re in America, we’re free, and we have people who give their lives for us for our freedom,” said Autumn.
The climb was humbling, said Travis, but it had purpose.
“It’s a lot easier to keep motivated to keep going when you’re doing it for a great cause and when you’ve got firefighters, first responders and everybody enduring the suffering with you.
After the climb, Alex and Breanne Kukulus were both happy to be done. Though he “felt like hell,” Alex said there was some pride in finishing the event. Breanne said she felt accomplished.
She also said she’d like for more people to remember the period of time after the attacks, when the country didn’t seem as divided as it is now.
“Never forget,” she said. “Let’s go back to that day and the unity from that time,” she said. “Let’s be together again.”
