Langley City firefighter Colby Dodd set out to raise some money for a 9/11 charity – and thanks to local generosity, he was the top-fundraising participant.
Dodd raised $8,000 for the fifth annual New York City Memorial Stair Climb, a fundraising event and memorial, held on Saturday, May 4.
Dodd climbed 80 floors of the new World Trade Centre 3 in full firefighter turnout gear, including oxygen tanks.
“It was emotional,” he said of the event.
READ MORE: 80 floors to the finish
Each firefighter taking part represents one of the 343 firefighters who died in the Twin Towers during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“We climb because they climbed,” Dodd said.
The stair climb involves firefighters in their full turnout gear – about 75 to 80 pounds of coat, helmet, and oxygen tank – heading up flight after flight of stairs in the new World Trade Centre building.
On the way, they passed photos of the fallen firefighters, Dodd said.
He thanked Langley residents for helping him raise more money than any other firefighter this year.
This year, the money raised will go towards helping an injured U.S. veteran make his home more accessible.