Saluki Stair Climb in Southern Illinois honors 9/11 victims

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Southern Illinois University Carbondale paid tribute to victims of the 9/11 terror attacks in a unique way this week.

Members of the community participated in the Saluki Stair Climb -- walking as many as 110 flights of stairs as the World Trade Center Twin Towers.

Lt. Col Chay Derbigny, commander and professor of aerospace studies for SIUC's Air Force ROTC detachment 205, explained that his predecessor originally came up with the idea.

"She had the idea last year and she ran it. I mean that was her baby and she made it an incredible event that doubled the pot of people that they were expecting to participate just out of her marketing efforts," said Derbigny.

"And then the university loved that so much that they decided, 'let's make this an enduring event.'"

Alternatively, participants had the option to walk two miles around the Banterra Center concourse, which represents the evacuation distance from Ground Zero across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Derbigny says when they did the event last year, many first responders participated in the efforts and the climb brought an overwhelming sense of price from the participants.

"It was just an overwhelming sense of, of uh pride and community um that your people are fallen but not forgotten," said Derbigny. "We're over two decades away from that event, which is crazy to think about, because everybody was alive, and they always has a story to tell where they were during 911."

"So again, it's just a way to remember it. So we don't forget the fallen and the people who sacrifice for us."