By Kenneth Books
About 70 people, ranging from school age to senior citizens, climbed 2071 steps Saturday morning, Sept. 9, at the Niceville football stadium, representing the 110 floors first responders climbed in twin towers after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. At the end of the field was an enormous, 30-by-20-foot American flag. The event was sponsored by Niceville High School and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Cheering them on was Bronx native Mary Mercado, whose oldest son, Steve, was among the New York City firefighters who entered the stricken buildings in search of people who needed help. Steve Mercado died in that effort. His body was never found.
“Even after 22 years, it’s still painful,” Mary, whose recent surgery prevented her from actively participating, says.
Steve’s brother, Tony, was among those who did make the climb. “I’m doing it to raise awareness for my brother,” Tony says. “I’m here in remembrance.”
That sentiment was echoed over and over among climbers and those who came to support their efforts. “When it happened, I tried to get a flight to New York,” Mary, who now lives in Fort Walton Beach, says. None were available. “I went to rent a van, but there weren’t any to rent. Finally, a neighbor drove us up there.”
Kim Henderson rounded up her friends to participate. “I didn’t know they did this,” she says. So, I got my friends and we’re here. I have friends who lost someone in the attacks.”
Ashley Seay said she was participating, because “I heard what a great opportunity it is to honor the first responders who were there.”
Her friend, Cara Culpepper, agreed. “I’m here to honor the men and women of 9/11,” she says.
The climbers began their trek in the Niceville side of the bleachers, threading their way along each set of stairs, when running to the visitors’ side to continue, and back to the Niceville side for another round.
This was to be the third memorial climb, but last year’s event was rained out. However, this year’s event was “so far, pretty good,” said Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Smith. “This is a bigger turnout than before.”
Smith remembers that day like it was yesterday.
“I was in the Marine Corps,” he says. When the attacks took place, “my wife started crying. I told her we had a bumpy road ahead and I was to start training to go over there.” Once he arrived in the Middle East, Smith and his fellow Marines opened the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
Those who wanted a more permanent memory of the event aside from sore hamstrings and fatigue, could buy T-shirts stating “Never again.” The proceeds from the shirts went to Tuesday’s Children, which supports families and children of the fallen first responders. “More than 50,000 families have been assisted,” says Sheriff’s Deputy Lisa Worth, who, with her daughter, Laikyn, manned the table.
While the attack on the Twin Towers is foremost in the memory of that day, as millions of horrified Americans watched on television as they collapsed into a heap of ash, smoke and rubble, two additional airplanes also targeted important American buildings.
At 9:37 a.m., Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. All passengers aboard are instantly killed and so were 125 civilian and military personnel in the building. And at 10:02 a.m., Flight 93 plowed into an empty field in Shanksville, Pa., as heroic passengers foiled what is believed to be an attack on the White House of the Capitol.
The response of the American people was that of immediate and sustained outrage. Military enlistments surged. Flags flew everywhere. On May 2, 2021, terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy Seals, triggering rejoicing throughout the country. Today, the outrage has cooled somewhat by time, but it smolders quietly within many Americans.
