MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Dozens gathered in downtown Meridian Thursday for the city’s annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, an event that honors the lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and pays tribute to local first responders.
Hosted at the Art District parking garage, participants climbed the equivalent of 110 floors, symbolizing the height of the World Trade Center towers. Similar stair climbs take place across the country each year to remember those killed in New York City on 9/11.
Chief Michael Evans of the Meridian Fire Department said the event is also about recognizing first responders close to home.
“The Community Foundation of East Mississippi always has a stair climb to remember the first responders that died and perished on 9/11 in New York City,” Evans said. “So, we come out today to honor them and honor the local first responders who do so much for the community here on a day-to-day basis.”
This year’s ceremony included a tribute to longtime Clarke County Sheriff’s Deputy Barry White, who died in June after a battle with bone cancer. White retired in April after more than 30 years with the department.
“(Barry) spent 31 years in law enforcement in Clarke County and served,” said his sister, Leigh White. “He did a really good job serving the people of Clarke County, and this meant a lot to us for him to be remembered. He’s just a special part of Clarke County, and he will never be forgotten.”
The names of other local heroes were also read aloud, including EMT Adam Gambrell, Meridian firefighter Eric Gustafson, Meridian police officer Kennis Croom, and Air Care team members Jakob Kindt, Cal Wesolowski and Dustin Pope.
For local musician Grayson Culpepper, who performed Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” during the event, the memorial was an emotional reminder of both past and present tragedy.
“For me, it was great. It was great being able to honor all the people that died on that tragic day 24 years ago, and for what happened yesterday too,” Culpepper said. “‘Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue,’ to me it really is just a big expression of pure patriotism.”
Evans said he hopes the sight of firefighters and officers completing the stair climb in heavy gear gave the public a clearer understanding of the daily demands first responders face.
“I just hope they see when they watch our police officers and firemen here doing the stair climb in all that heavy gear, I hope they understand what we do on a daily basis to protect the people here in the City of Meridian and Lauderdale County,” Evans said.
This year marked the seventh stair climb in Meridian. Proceeds benefit the East Mississippi First Responders Endowment Fund, which provides support for local firefighters and emergency personnel.
