'We continue remembering, and we continue climbing': 9/11 stair climb honors fallen heroes 25 years later

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.

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Firefighters from across the country gathered in Kansas City on Sunday to honor the firefighters who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. All 343 firefighters climbed 110 floors—the same number of floors in the Twin Towers.

Twenty-five years after the attacks, firefighters say the memory of that day still shapes who they are and why they serve. Battalion Chief Josh Nelson of the Sedalia Fire Department was in seventh grade when the attacks happened.

"I was in seventh grade. I was watching it go down, and I remember wanting to do something, just wanting to help," Nelson said.

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Nelson has channeled that memory into a career of service and into the stair climb itself.

"It's not about you pushing for you. It's about you pushing for them. Just the extra motivation of, 'Hey, they gave everything that day,'" Nelson said.

Throughout his entire career, Nelson has climbed in honor of the same fallen firefighter: Andrew Jordan. A few years ago, that connection became something more personal.

"I reached out to his children and slowly developed a relationship with them," Nelson said.

Just this weekend, Nelson visited Jordan's son in New York.

"I don't know how to describe it in words, but it was just surreal. It was an honor to meet his kid," Nelson said.

343 firefighters lost their lives on 9/11. Every one of the 343 firefighters climbing in Kansas City did so in honor of a different hero.

Karli Schnakenberg of the Lenexa Fire Department said the turnout speaks to the impact of that day.

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"It just really shows the impact that it had on our country, and especially our field of work," Schnakenberg said.

For Nelson, the commitment to the climb is lifelong.

"We continue remembering, and we continue climbing, and I will climb till I can't anymore," Nelson said.

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