Participants in the 10th annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Salt River Fields will carry the name of first responders who lost their lives responding to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
Sept. 11 will be an especially solemn day as the country marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that took 2,977 lives — including 441 first responders who lost their lives trying to save others.
Terrorist from the Islamist extremist group al Qaeda highjacked four planes on that day — two were flown into a the World Trade Center in New York, causing the two towers to collapse; another plane was flown into the Pentagon; and a fourth headed toward Washington, D.C., crashed into an empty field in Pennsylvania as the passengers fought back against the terrorists.
The City of Scottsdale will mark that day on the lawn of Scottsdale Performing Arts Center, 7830 E. Second St., by reading the names of everyone who fell. The event starts at 6 a.m. and is expected to last two and a half hours. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
“I am super proud of our Fire Chief Tom Shannon. He has led the charge to commemorate this very important ceremony,” said City Councilwoman Maryann McAllen, who will participate by reading some of the names. “He opened it up to staff, to council members, to the public. People overwhelmingly have filled all the time slots and are very supportive.”
The city will also exhibit super-sized props of the twin towers, Pentagon, plane wing and large metal flag – made of steel, brass and polycarbonate. They will be at:
• Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. — World Trade Center twin towers
• Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th St., Public Safety Memorial Flag
• Arabian Library, 10215 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road — Pentagon
• Appaloosa Library, 7377 E. Silverstone Drive — Plane wing
• Scottsdale Police and Fire Headquarters, 8401 E. Indian School Road — World Trade Center Piece of Steel and other Memorial Pieces
People will also participate in the 10th annual 9/11 Memorial Stair climb from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road, in Scottsdale.
Participants will once again pay tribute to New York Fire Department firefighters, police officers and EMS personnel who died responding to the twin towers by climbing the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.
Every climber will carry a badge featuring the name and photograph of a fallen hero, symbolically completing the journey they could not finish. Over the past 10 years, this climb has ensured that the 343 firefighters, 60 police officers, and 10 EMS personnel are individually honored, and their legacies kept alive.
“Every year, this event reminds us why it is so important to continue telling the stories of those we lost on September 11," Salt River Fire Department spokesman Riley Murph said in an email to the Daily Independent. "Behind every name and every badge is a person and a legacy that deserves to be remembered. It is an honor to stand alongside our community and help ensure that, 25 years later, their sacrifices and the impact of that day are never forgotten.”
Registration for the 10th annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Salt River Fields is now open until the 2,000-person capacity is reached. The cost is $35 and includes a commemorative t-shirt designed by partner State Forty Eight and participation/entry into the event.
Additional shirts can be purchased for $25.
All proceeds benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the East Valley Firefighters Relief Fund.
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Graber joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in February 2023, starting his career as a staff writer covering the City of Scottsdale and was named news editor of the Scottsdale Independent in 2024.
Community: He serves on the altar guild as well as being an usher at St. Mathews Episcopal Church in Chandler.
Education: He earned his BA in creative writing with a minor in journalism from the University of Arizona. He then earned an MS in Mass Communications from the University of Oregon.
Random Fact: He enjoys reading novels by Russian authors.
Hobbies: Playing classical guitar, reading, fishing, going to the gym, watching sports and spending time with his family.
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