Bear Down Wildcats

By Rikki Mitchell. CREATED Sep 11, 2014
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Two thousand and seventy-one steps. Each step a reminder of the lives lost and the first responders who went head first into danger.

"I just try and keep that in the back of my mind," said Tucson Firefighter Jeremy Chafin, who participated in this year's "Never Forgotten 9/11 Tower Challenge," where more than 300 first responders and military personnel climbed thousands of steps at Arizona Stadium Thursday.

"[It] really makes you think about what they went through on that day," he said.

In its second year, the challenge honored the almost 3,000 victims from the September 11 attacks.

For Tucson Police Sgt. Rob Brandt, who helped organize the climb, it all came down to those two words: never forget.

"We kind of felt in a sense that people might be starting to forget," said Brandt. "It's been 13 years, things fade with time, and we don't want that to happen, at least for our generation."

Thursday's climb also raised money for the 100 Club of Arizona, a charity that supports the families of first responders, and the Arizona Fisher House, that supports our nation's military families.

That's a charity that Brian Kolfage knows well.

"It allowed me to learn how to get my life back together again," said Kolfage, who lost both legs and his right arm exactly 10 years ago while serving as an airman in Iraq.

The fisher house gave his family a place to stay while he recovered, so for Kolfage, the hundreds of people climbing the thousands of steps to support that charity really makes a difference.

"It's touching to see that these people actually care," he said. "People can say thank you, but to come out and do some grueling challenge like this and donate money, it's just great to see."

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If you're interested in contributing to either of these charities in memory of 9/11, here are links:

The 100 Club of Arizona

Fisher House