PESHTIGO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The annual 9/11 memorial stair climb at Lambeau Field was virtual this year.
But, up north, local fire fighters from in and around Peshtigo decided to do something else, as a way of honoring those who lost their lives.
They hit the road for a 2-hour march at 3:43 p.m., in memory of the 343 firefighters who died in the 9/11 terror attacks.
“They paid the ultimate price so that we could live the way we live everyday,” Lieutenant Joe Palli explained.
Almost everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing when America changed forever.
“These are the tags of some of the people who died that day — everybody has a tag — so I’m marching for this gentleman,” Jim Morrison said.
The walk through Peshtigo on Friday wasn’t an easy trek…
“I had knee surgery this year, so I’m going to be feeling terrible by the end,” Morrison said.
But it was a small sacrifice, to honor those who made the ultimate one.
“I think Americans will never feel safe again. At least this generation, and we saw that we could come together,” Morrison continued. “Unfortunately, these days we aren’t doing a very good job of that.”
At the end of the road, the group only wanted one thing.
“Never forget what they did for us,” Palli said.
“It’s something we’ll always remember from this day on,” Rich Seils said. “To this day we’re still losing firefighters over it.”
Still, they are victorious. And this was a victory lap.
“I think in the end, good did prevail,” Palli said. “We’re still remembering what they gave themselves for. And for us that’s the most important thing.”
The journey around town ended where it started, at the Peshtigo Fire Station. In all, the group marched 9.11 kilometers, in honor of the men and women who sacrificed their lives 19 years to the day.
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