More than 50 people participated Wednesday in a Sept. 11 memorial climbing of the stairs at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos to honor first responders lost while responding to the terrorist attack on New York’s World Trade Center 23 years ago.

To benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, current and retired first responders from across Santa Cruz County and beyond were invited to walk up and down the beach’s staircase 13 times, the equivalent distance of walking up the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.

Lookout’s Kevin Painchaud was on hand for the event:

  • Peter Salter from bayareabagpiper.com played the bagpipe while first responders climbed the stairs at Seacliff State beach a total of 13 times. Going up and down the stairs 13 times at Seacliff equal the number of stairs of the Twin Towers that fell during the 911 attacks in New York.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Brian Sheckler from the Mountain View fire department was one of over 50 first responders that climbed the stairs at Seacliff State Beach during the annual 911 Stair Climb.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Retired Santa Cruz firefighter Steve Vratny climbs the staircase at Seacliff State Beach. Vratny helped organize the first three 911 Memorial Stair Climbs in Aptos starting in 2019.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • The reflection of the American Flag against a Watsonville Fire Department engine parked on the top parking lot of Seacliff State Park on 9/11.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Santa Cruz resident Jennifer May holds onto an American flag during the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Seacliff State Park. May also volunteered as one of the people who read the names of all the first responders that died during the 911 attack 23 years ago.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Peter Salter from bayareabagpiper.com played the bagpipe while first responders climbed the stairs at Seacliff State beach a total of 13 times. Going up and down the stairs 13 times at Seacliff equal the number of stairs of the Twin Towers that fell during the 911 attacks in New York.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • The American flag fly high over the beach at Seacliff State Park in Aptos on 9/11/2024.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Fire fighters raise the America Flag, held between two fire engines, during the annual 911 Memorial Stair Climb in Aptos.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Fire fighters prepare to raise the America Flag held between two fire engines, during the annual 911 Memorial Stair Climb in Aptos.
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

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Kevin Painchaud is an international award-winning photojournalist. He has shot for various publications for the past 30 years, appearing on sites nationwide, including ABC News, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, The...