Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs nationwide continue to bring people together in communities across the country to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters who lost their lives that day. Participants climb the equivalent of 110 stories, representing the height of the World Trade Center Towers.
In Green Bay, Wisconsin, firefighters, first responders, families and supporters gather each year to climb the steps of Lambeau Field to honor the fallen. To mark the twenty-fifth year since September 11, 2001, we asked 25 people who participate in the Lambeau Field Stair Climb one question:
Why do you climb?
“I was in high school on September 11, 2001. I remember feeling afraid and helpless—and then seeing the first responders. To me, they were heroes by every definition of the word.
Their selfless sacrifice inspired me to serve in whatever way I could, so I joined my local fire department and ambulance service. I climb to honor those men and women, remember their sacrifice and remind myself why I became a first responder in the first place.”
— Mark Braun, Gregory Volunteer Fire Department, South Dakota
For Lieutenant Ryan Searer, September 11 reinforced a decision he had already begun to make.
“I was 18 and still in high school on September 11, 2001. I had already signed up for the firefighter program, and after what happened that day, I knew I was choosing the right path. The Stair Climb gives us an opportunity to reflect on what happened while raising money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the families of firefighters who lose their lives in the line of duty.”
— Lieutenant Ryan Searer, Green Bay Metro Fire Department, WI
Captain Tom Janssen remembers September 11, 2001 from his time as a student at UW–Oshkosh. It moved him to join his local fire department after graduation. Today, this decision has become part of a family tradition.
The Stair Climb gives us an opportunity to reflect on what happened while raising money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the families of firefighters who lose their lives in the line of duty.”
— Captain Tom Janssen, Green Bay Metro Fire Department, WI
For Andy Dahlberg, September 11, 2001 changed the way he understood a commitment to service, which has always been part of his family.
“As the child of a firefighter in Minneapolis, MN, September 11, 2001, made me understand the sacrifice my father was willing to make every day to help someone in need. What happened hundreds of miles away suddenly felt incredibly close to home.
Today, I carry that understanding with me as I serve my own community as a first responder. I climb to honor the brave men and women who, without hesitation, made the ultimate sacrifice to help strangers on their worst day.”
— Andy Dahlberg, Town of Neenah Fire Department, WI
For Tom, September 11, 2001, changed the course of his life. At age 43, the actions of firefighters he witnessed on 9/11 inspired him to become a volunteer firefighter and first responder EMT. He would go on to serve his community for 13 years.
“I climb to pay tribute to the reason I joined the fire service and to remember the first responders who have been lost in the line of duty.” —Tom, Former Volunteer Firefighter and EMT, Wales-Genesee Fire Department, WI
For many who remember September 11, 2001, the actions of first responders that day became a calling. For John and Donna Kneeley, those actions are also part of the reason they made it home.
On the morning of September 11, John and Donna Kneeley were on the 77th floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the building 16 floors above them.
They began the long descent down the stairwell. At the 29th floor, they encountered FDNY Lieutenant Kevin Donnally.
“As we made our way down the stairs, we met Lieutenant Kevin Donnally, one of the firefighters climbing up toward the danger as we were trying to get out. He helped keep us calm and continued upward to help others. He never made it out. We were fortunate to escape the tower that day, and we’ve never forgotten the courage of the firefighters who were heading in while everyone else was heading out. We climb for Lieutenant Donnally, to honor his sacrifice and to help make sure his story—and the stories of all those lost on September 11, 2001—continue to be remembered.” — John and Donna Kneeley
Donate to Team Kevin W. Donnelly
For Craig Majewski and Scott Stuerman, each 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb offers an opportunity to reflect on both the emotional and physical weight those firefighters carried with them.
“For me, the climb isn’t a race. It’s a moment of reflection. As I climb, I think about the weight they carried—not just their gear, but the responsibility, uncertainty and determination to help others no matter the cost.
I climb with gratitude. I climb with purpose. I climb because their legacy deserves to rise with every step.”
— Craig Majewski, Harrison Fire-Rescue, WI
“Being a firefighter is a privilege. We have the honor of answering the call when our communities need us most, just as 343 firefighters did on September 11, 2001. I climb to honor their courage, remember their sacrifice and make sure they are never forgotten.”
— Scott Stuerman, Rock Rapids Fire Department, IA
Matthew Titel carries two perspectives with him up the stairs during each stair climb, as both a volunteer firefighter and an Army veteran.
“As a volunteer firefighter, I understand the commitment it takes to answer the call when someone needs help. As an Army veteran, I understand what it means to serve something greater than yourself.
I climb to honor the 343 firefighters and all the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001. Each step reminds me of their courage, their sacrifice and our responsibility to carry their memory forward.”
— Matt Titel, Manager of Customer Finance at Pierce Manufacturing, Firefighter for Harrison Fire Rescue, Wisconsin and Army Veteran
Sometimes, carrying this memory forward begins with a name.
“In Joe Rivelli of Ladder 25, I found a kindred spirit in a friend I never had the chance to meet. Like me, Joe was a pilot and tech geek who built computers for fun.
I was proud to climb for Joe in 2024 and 2025, and I’m humbled and honored to carry his name with me again in 2026.
— Hal Bryan
For Lieutenant Aaron Zamzow, climbing in honor of FDNY Chief Ray Downey added meaning to every step.
“I’ve had the honor and privilege of climbing in memory of Chief Ray Downey, one of the FDNY’s most legendary leaders. Carrying his name with me up those steps was incredibly humbling. It’s not just a workout—it’s a way of keeping his story alive.”
— Lieutenant Aaron Zamzow, Fire Lieutenant with the City of Madison Fire Department, Wisconsin and Founder of Better Every Shift Podcast
Others climb carrying names much closer to home.
Growing up in a fire service family, Jennifer Ramos understood the risks firefighters accept when they choose a life of service. Then her family experienced loss firsthand when her brother, Captain Garrett Ramos, died in the line of duty.
For Jennifer, the 9/11 Stair Climb is an opportunity to remember both the fallen of September 11, 2001, her own brother, and to support the organization that helped her family through its grief.
“Growing up in a fire service family—and losing my brother and only sibling in the line of duty—instilled in me a deep respect for the men and women who choose a life of service despite the risks. I climb to honor my brother, remember a defining moment in our nation’s and the fire service’s history, and support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The NFFF has been invaluable in helping my family navigate our own grief, making this event especially meaningful to me.”
— Jennifer Ramos
The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but its impact extends to the families they left behind. Proceeds from the event benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which provides programs and resources for families of fallen firefighters.
This mission is one reason Jeff Trelka has returned every year since the first Stair Climb at Lambeau Field in 2013.
“Over the years, it has become something that means a great deal to my family. My children have climbed alongside me several times. When I think about families who have lost a firefighter, I can’t help but think about my own family and the impact losing a parent would have on them. I climb to honor the sacrifices firefighters make for our communities and to help ensure the families they leave behind know their community continues to stand with them.” — Jeff Trelka, Vice President, Corporate Development & Strategy at Oshkosh Corporation
Family is also at the heart of why Sean Benz and Mark Preston climb.
"Our department has proudly participated in the 9/11 Stair Climb for the past three years, and it’s a tradition we plan to continue. We climb to remember the 343 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while trying to save the lives of others. For me, the climb is also personal. I climb in honor of my father, a former fire chief in Minnesota, and to support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the families of fallen firefighters.” — Sean Benz, Montgomery Fire Department, Minnesota
“With so many family members and friends who have served in emergency services—and having completed firefighter school myself—the fire service has always been close to me. This is my way of showing my respect and remembering those who gave everything.”
— Mark Preston, Madison, Wisconsin resident
The climb is deeply personal, but it also brings people together.
Anthony Abel and his Beef Sticks teammates first met as strangers during a firefighter training course. Shared training and a commitment to the fire service turned those strangers into a team.
“We formed a bond rooted in trust, service and brotherhood. We climb together to honor those same bonds—the firefighters and service members who stood beside one another on September 11, 2001, and in the years that followed. Every step is dedicated to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to carrying forward their legacy of service, camaraderie and commitment to one another.”
— Anthony Abel, Beef Sticks Team member
This sense of togetherness extends well beyond individual fire departments.
Miron Construction has participated in the Stair Climb since 2017, bringing one of its own company values to Lambeau Field each year.
“One of our company values is to ‘Rally Together,’ and I can’t think of a better way to live that value than coming together to honor the 343 and support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Every year, we leave grateful to have been part of such a meaningful event.”
— Meredith Baciak, Wellness Coordinator, Miron Construction, Inc.
For Choi Maner, the people filling the stadium are part of what keeps the meaning of the day alive.
“I climb to honor our fallen heroes and to be reminded of their bravery and selflessness. But I also climb for the fellowship. Friends, family and strangers come together, barriers disappear and for those steps we stand together in remembrance.
That is my why.”
— Choi Maner, FIRE Fitness Camp Sheboygan
Captain Dan Retzlaff has turned this same spirit into a tradition within his own department.
“Since my first climb, I’ve encouraged members of my department to join me, turning the day into one of remembrance, fitness and team building. We climb to make sure we never forget the heroic acts of September 11, 2001, and to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.”
— Captain Dan Retzlaff, Columbus Fire Department, WI
For Cody Johnson of Green Bay Metro Fire Department, this will be his eighth year participating in the climb.
“I love being part of a crew and helping people—it’s a feeling that’s hard to describe. The Stair Climb is a day to reflect on September 11, 2001, and pay tribute to those who are no longer with us.”
— Cody Johnson, Green Bay Metro Fire Department, WI
Carter Ott has also made the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb a tradition.
“This will be my third consecutive Stair Climb. To me, it’s an opportunity for people of all ages to show their support for the men and women who sacrificed everything to save others on September 11, 2001. Every year, I look forward to seeing new faces, hearing new stories and coming together in support of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.”
— Carter Ott, Firefighter based in Wisconsin
And as the years since September 11, 2001, continue to pass, “people of all ages” has taken on an even greater significance.
Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, a growing number of Stair Climb participants have no firsthand memory of the day. Chase Dombrowski may only be a teenager, but he’s already participated in two 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs.
“I climb because it’s for a really good cause, and I think it’s important that we never forget what happened on 9/11. Being able to do it at Lambeau Field makes it even cooler, but the biggest thing is getting to show my support for firefighters and everyone we’re climbing for.”
— Chase Dombrowski
For Chad Miller, seeing these younger generations show up is part of what makes the event so meaningful.
“My reason for climbing is simple: I climb so we never forget.
One of the most meaningful parts of this event is seeing firefighters, families, community members and younger generations come together—especially those who weren’t yet born on September 11, 2001. When we climb carrying the name of a firefighter who made the ultimate sacrifice, we carry their story forward, too.
Twenty-five years later, we are still keeping the promise that their sacrifice will be remembered.”
— Chad Miller, Director of Aftermarket Product & Support at Pierce Manufacturing
Andie Meyers has spent the past decade helping support the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lambeau Field. Over the years, she has watched thousands of people come through with thousands of different reasons for climbing.
“Every year, I meet firefighters, families and community members whose lives were changed by September 11, 2001.
Every conversation reminds me that this event is about so much more than climbing stairs. It’s about honoring lives, preserving legacies and 25 years later, continuing to remember together.”
— Andie Meyers, Public Relations Director for Stream Creative / Sponsor of the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lambeau Field
No story captures this passing of memory from one generation to the next quite like Nick Conway's.
Before September 11, FDNY Captain James Amato was simply Uncle Jim, the person Nick idolized and wanted to be like. His life changed when he lost his uncle during the 9/11 attacks.
Twenty-five years later, Nick is making sure his own children know the kind of man his uncle was.
“I want my children, and someday their children, to know and remember the great man I knew. As my kids have gotten older, they’ve begun climbing alongside me, including my daughter Maddison last year. It wasn’t a choice for him to jump on the fire truck that morning, so it’s not a choice for us to do this in his honor. As a family, we climb to make sure his sacrifice—and the memories I carry of him—are never forgotten.”
— Nick Conway, Kiel, Wisconsin Resident
Twenty-five years can change a great deal.
Students who watched September 11, 2001, unfold from their classrooms have become firefighters and first responders. Parents now climb beside their children. Those who weren't alive in 2001 climb to honor firefighters of a past generation. Families continue to tell stories about the people they loved, while strangers form connections with names they first encountered on an honor badge.
The reasons for climbing may be different, but the promise behind them is the same: the 343 will not be forgotten.
Twenty-five years later, we still climb.
We still remember. And we will never forget.