![“[The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is] really to show our support and help build community and camaraderie with the first responders that are putting on this event at the Rowdies Stadium and to showcase our office and give the student veterans here and miliary-connected students something positive to do that day and a feeling of belonging,” veteran and junior personal financial planning major Thomas Wells said. Courtesy: Tampa Bay Rowdies](https://crowsneststpete.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Stair-Climb-1.jpg)
On Sept. 11, 2001, the United States was shaken when four passenger jets were hijacked, two were flown into the World Trade Center towers, a third into the Pentagon, and the fourth crashing into a Pennsylvania field after passengers revolted against the hijackers.
The attacks changed the course of U.S. history, with 2,977 casualties.
Many citizens watched the events unfold live on television. According to veteran and junior personal financial planning major Thomas Wells, the events influenced many to enlist.
“[Many student veterans] entered service after Sept. 11, 2001. Most of us were alive during the events of September 11th. We all have vivid memories of our teachers rolling in TVs for us to watch what was happening in real time and a lot of us decided to join the service because of those events,” Wells told The Crow’s Nest.
Other veterans grew up with family members in the military and experienced firsthand how quickly the Armed Forces mobilized.
Veteran and biological health sciences major Roger Edwards recalled his experience during the attacks.
“I think I was in fourth grade. I was in a school of predominantly nothing but military kids… and we had to get on the school bus with supervision to be escorted home because of who we were and where we were living at the time… My mom’s unit was activated within that week to go overseas. I think at the time, I was like, ‘Okay, she’s going on a trip.’ I just didn’t understand…”
With this year marking 25 years since Sept. 11, 2001, Edwards emphasized the importance of unity across the United States and the world.
“I think looking back at when we first had [the attacks] and then to today, we have a lot of nationalism, but we’re forgetting about patriotism,” Edwards said. “… We focus more on an international level of national representation and how we compete with other countries. We should be more allied.”
Many of the students on campus were not alive during the events, so they may not feel much connection to this anniversary. Freshman marine biology major and military-connected student Alanah McMahon pointed out how foreign of a concept the attacks can feel.
“It’s kind of hard to wrap my head around. I’ve had a lot of people who did experience it, but I wasn’t even a thought, so, it’s like history to me,” McMahon said.
Wells highlighted that although a seemingly long amount of time has passed, it’s important to remember that the effects of Sept. 11 are still being felt today by many people, especially veterans.
“We’ve done a lot of healing as a nation, but at the same time…the generation that served as a result of that attack and the people who went overseas to respond to that attack, they’re still around. They’re still very much part of our society, they’re part of our campus and it’s a unique time because although it’s a milestone, there’s still lingering effects that bleed throughout our campus and our society at large,” Wells stated.
To honor the 25th year since the attacks, veterans are partaking in different traditions. One of these is the “Murph Hero Workout,” which has been used by many veterans as a tradition on military holidays.
“After school, every year, my friends and I will do a [Murph] workout. Even if I’m not with them, we’ll do it online together and we’ll share the time… I feel like it’s a good way to remember the pain that I had to go through back then physically,” Edwards said.
Wells is going to honor the 25th year since the tragic events of 9/11 by participating in the sixth annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb hosted by The Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The stair climb entails a group of veterans, active military members, and first responders climbing 2,200 stairs equivalent to the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.
“Personally, I’m choosing to participate in this event because on a lot of these military observances and a lot of these military holidays, it’s easy to self-isolate and it’s easy to find yourself alone and a lot of times that’s not a healthy thing to do,” Wells told The Crow’s Nest.
Wells emphasized the connection between fostering community between veterans, especially on military holidays and memorialized days.
“It feels better to be around the people that have a shared experience and we can all endure a little bit of suffering together, climbing these stairs and try to have a positive day and still honor and memorialize those people that paid the ultimate sacrifice as a result of the terror attacks of 9/11,” Wells said.
Edwards echoed a similar sentiment.
“I think the best thing for me currently,” Edwards told The Crow’s Nest, “…is just understanding that time is minimal and spending it with people that I care about or reaching out to military members I served with and letting them know I’m here for them if they need anything because we all joined during the time of that war.”
