Photo credit: Permian Press staff

What happened: Midland held its ninth Tall City Memorial Stair Climb, with 16 area fire departments taking part. A total of 451 people climbed, a number surpassing the 411 first responders the event honors who died at Ground Zero. Midland participants included 65 firefighters, one police officer, and 77 other first responders.

The big picture: I had the privilege of attending this year’s event, and calling it one of the most moving and inspiring events I’ve attended in Midland is an understatement. As we’ve reached a quarter-century since Sept. 11, 2001, the attacks can feel like a distant memory. This memorial brings it back to mind at every turn.

Every firefighter climbing in full gear, every citizen committing to the challenge, and every child accompanying a parent or peer made a clear point: we are still choosing to remember.

Midland’s top stories. One quick email. Free, every Friday.
Get Midland Wrapped, our free weekly email for busy Midland residents. Each Friday, we break down the week’s most important local stories — what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next — so you can stay informed without the noise.

The morning opened with the national anthem, a reminder of our country’s resilience and the strength of the American people. This year’s speaker was Gary Collier, retired fire chief of the Crane Fire Department. What he had to say brought me to tears as he described what that Tuesday looked like from a firefighter’s perspective:

“When we first heard about a plane hitting the north tower, it sounded like maybe it was an accident,” Collier said. “But when the second plane went into the south tower, it became clear that the United States was under attack. … 411 first responders died that day. That number represents fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, friends and co-workers. Each one had a story.”

Collier also asked those gathered not to let the words “never forget” become hollow:

“Never forget the thousands of innocent people who never made it home. Never forget the courage of the people who ran toward the danger when everyone else was trying to get away. As you climb these stairs today, remember why you’re climbing. Remember the brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice. Remember the families. Remember the people who continue to carry that loss 25 years later.”

The Ector County Pipers played as all 451 participants began their climb. At the 30-minute mark, the pipers returned to play “Amazing Grace,” marking the time the first tower fell. The stadium took a knee, then stood and kept going. Twenty-five minutes later, the pipers played again to mark the fall of the second tower.

Go deeper: The Tall City Memorial Stair Climb began because members of the Midland Fire Department wanted to participate in a 9/11 stair climb but didn’t have one close to home. The nearest was more than four hours away and limited participation to 411 first responders, so Midland created its own.

The first climb was held in 2017 at Wilco Tower. Its 22 floors meant climbers made five trips to complete the equivalent of the Twin Towers’ 110 floors. During COVID, the climb moved outdoors because of indoor gathering restrictions. It has since moved to Astound Broadband Stadium, allowing the event to include other departments, civilians, and spectators.

This year’s participants also included Texas Game Wardens, members of the Monahans Volunteer Fire Department and students in Midland College’s Fire Rescue dual-credit program. One young man I spoke with at the event told me his elementary cross-country team volunteered to climb.

The bottom line: If you weren’t able to attend this year, I encourage you to put next year’s Tall City Memorial Stair Climb on the calendar to climb, to watch, or simply to be in the stands when the pipes begin, and Midland takes the time to remember.