Stair climbers commemorated 9/11 in a literal way Saturday.
The climbers, among them those too young to remember first-hand the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York, The Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a plane that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, made their way up flights of stairs at the Crowne Plaza hotel to mark the revered day and to honor the first responders who climbed the steps of the World Trade Center that morning to rescue the injured.
The memorial stair climb, which was preceded by ceremonies and remarks from American Legion Post 32 and Springfield Fire Department officials, was hosted by the University of Illinois Springfield. It was the first 9/11 memorial stair climb at the hotel, event coordinator Amber Pye said.
This story was published in The State Journal-Register on September 11, 2021.