SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The University of San Diego hosted various events on Thursday to honor first responders and victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The university held a remembrance ceremony at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies which included a presentation by USD’s NROTC unit and spoken remarks and an interfaith prayer by local faith leaders.
Meanwhile, the university’s Military & Veterans Program hosted a stair climb challenge at USD’s Palomar Health Student Wellness Center. It challenged each of the participants to use the machines in the wellness center to climb a total of 110 stories — the equivalent of how many floors were in the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001.
On Thursday, participants of the challenge honored the sacrifices that were made by firefighters and first responders by climbing 110 stories each.
Raymond Gorospe, the Program and Military Outreach Coordinator for USD’s Military & Veterans Program, described his personal connection with 9/11 to KUSI’s Jason Austell. He grew up in New Jersey, only 40 minutes away from Manhattan, and was only 7 years old when the attacks happened.
“Growing up in the Tri-State area, the effects of the tragedy were very apparent,” he said. “We had people from my town that never made it home that day…It was not uncommon to have classmates that lost a loved one in the towers or even knew someone close to them that never made it home that day.”
The U.S. Navy veteran now dedicates his time to supporting veteran students and those who are using military education benefits at USD.
Gorospe said nearly a hundred individuals signed up to participate in the 9/11 stair climb challenge.
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