ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Students and participants stepped up for Canandaigua Academy’s second annual community stair climb to remember the brave men and women that died on Sept. 11.

“It truly was a devastating day, not just for our country, but for the world,” high school graduate Katie Compton said. “I think it’s really important that communities do things like this. And that’s why I’m so honored to be here.”

What You Need To Know

  • The second-annual fundraising event was held at Canandaigua High School's Braves Field

  • One hundred percent of the donations will be shared between local fire and EMS departments along with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

  • It's a symbolic memorial to the hundreds of brave men and women firefighters and first responders who rushed into the World Trade Center towers and climbed the stairs to help the victims trapped inside

For some, the event gave the opportunity to reflect on their own personal experiences.

“I was actually sent down three weeks after it happened,” volunteer Michael Tucker said. “It was with the New York National Guard at the time. Being there firsthand brings a lot of realism of what being an American is. And when you see this it brings a lot of people together.”

Tucker spreads awareness through his photos at Canandaigua Academy to showcase his work to students of his own first encounter at Ground Zero.

“So a lot of these photos are from a different perspective,” Tucker said. “You know I figured I should bring them out to the people, the community. No matter where I live get to see them.” 

The photos allow future generations to remember the lives that were lost.

“I had these pictures hidden for so long, I was afraid people might not want to see them but then I decided it’s doing no good,” Tucker said. “I think just keeping the memory of those that didn’t survive alive.”

Organizer and secretary of special affairs, Jean Ferris, started the event last year to raise money for the National Fallen Fighters Foundation, a nonprofit created by Congress to honor those heroes and assist their families. The proceeds will also be split between their local fire and EMS departments.

"We were like we need to take a step outside and think of important things,” Ferris said. “And it was around the time of the 20th anniversary. So we decided to do something positive for the school and community.”

The symbolic memorial honors the brave men and women firefighters and first responders who rushed into the World Trade Center towers and climbed the stairs to help the victims trapped inside.

“All those heroes that don’t ask for anything in return and go in for our families, our communities’ families, and sometimes don’t come back,” Ferris said. “So I want them to take away everything they sacrificed and not be forgotten.”