Raleigh 9/11 tower climb honors victims, first responders 25 years later
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hundreds of participants gathered in downtown Raleigh Saturday morning for the 2026 Tunnel to Towers Raleigh 9/11 Tower Climb, honoring the victims and first responders who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The annual event challenges participants to symbolically retrace the steps of first responders who climbed 110 stories inside the World Trade Center towers in an effort to rescue those trapped after the attacks.
Among those participating was Jean Benvuento, a Brooklyn, New York, native who experienced the tragedy firsthand.
"I was in the Trade Centers for lunch and shopping, and I lost a high school friend in the buildings," Benvuento said. "When I saw those towers come down, it just devastated me."
Benvuento completed the climb in memory of her friend and of Billy Lake, the husband of another friend who was affected by the attacks.
For firefighter trainee August Lawrence, the climb served as a tribute to Eric Olson, a member of Ladder 15 who responded on Sept. 11.
"Some of them never saw their families," Lawrence said. "A lot of people were taken from us, a lot of very good souls. These firefighters had to go through hell and back. They had to go through many flights of stairs and all the way back down and had to repeat that process multiple times."
Participants repeatedly climbed the 30 floors of the Wells Fargo building on Fayetteville Street to represent the 110 stories first responders ascended at the World Trade Center.
The event also raises money for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports military service members, veterans and first responders.
"We almost reached our goal," said Ian Butler of Tunnel to Towers. "Our goal was $10,000 this year, and we're only a few hundred dollars short. All that goes toward the programs Tunnel to Towers provides, including paying off mortgages and building smart homes for disabled veterans."
For many attendees, the event also recognizing the lasting health impacts faced by first responders decades later.
"I feel that we should all remember 9/11, and we should all do something in memory of all the people lost that day and the people who are still suffering," Benvuento said. "I just lost my cousin, Gary Howard, an FDNY captain, who succumbed to his 9/11-related illnesses last month."
Firefighter trainee Mateo Larocca said the climb underscores the sacrifices made by families affected by the tragedy.
"It was a heartbreaking moment for a lot of families," Larocca said. "I've seen how it affects these families, and I feel terrible for them. If I could take the pain away, that's all I would want to do."
Larocca said the event also reflects the spirit of service that inspired many first responders.
"All I want to do is help people and make the world a better place and just try my hardest," he said.
As participants crossed the finish line, organizers and climbers stressed the importance of continuing to honor the lives lost and the sacrifices made on Sept. 11.
"I hope every year it continues to grow so that people remember," Benvuento said. "We should never forget."
