El Paso commemorates 25th anniversary of 9/11 with memorial stair climb

Thousands of people gathered at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The event featured a memorial stair climb of 110 flights, representing the number of stories in the World Trade Center towers, to honor the first responders and service members who lost their lives.

Organized by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Army ROTC Fighting Miner Battalion in collaboration with the El Paso Fire Department and local emergency services, the ceremony included a helicopter flyover by the 1st Armored Division Aviation Brigade from Fort Bliss and a 21-gun salute. Symbolic displays of firefighter, police, and military boots, along with roses, were placed throughout the stadium to honor the fallen.

Speakers included former U.S. Secretary of the Air Force and UTEP President Heather Wilson, who shared her recollections of the day, as well as El Paso Fire Chief Jonathan Killings and El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas.