Help Lauritz raise money

September 11 is the reason that I'm a cop. I had always wanted to be a police officer, and might have eventually ended up as one if 9/11 hadn't happened, but it's really because of this tragedy that I do what I do. After watching these events unfold on television, I knew I had to do something to keep something like this from ever happening again. More than twenty years later, I still choke up whenever I see footage of this awful event. In addition to the nearly 3000 civilians that died in these attacks, 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers, and 55 military personnel died that day. Hundreds more have died since then from illnesses, both physiological and emotional that resulted from the 9/11 attacks. 

On Saturday, September 10, 2022, I'll be joining hundreds of other climbers to mark the anniversary of this tragedy and remember the brave men and women who climbed 110 flights of stairs in full gear, many of them knowing they might not make it out of the building. One of these was New York City firefighter Joseph Maffeo, who died in the line of duty at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. You can read about Joey here: https://www.silive.com/september-11/2010/09/joseph_maffeo_30_fdny_loved_sp.html

He was 30 on September 11, only a couple years older than I was at the time, and left behind a wife and a one-year old son. I will be wearing a picture of Joey as I climb. 

Every day, firefighters like Joey Maffeo risk their lives to help keep their communities safe. Their job involves the risk of injury or even death, but they do it anyway. FirefighterAid.org, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, provides assistance to firefighters and their families in times of need. I ask you to sponsor me as I climb on Saturday, September 10, 2022 by donating through my page. We rely on our first responders to be there for us when we need them; please help me show them that we are there for them too.