WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A Wilkes-Barre police sergeant is just one of a thousand people across the country taking part in a long-standing tradition of the 9/11 stair climb in New York City to honor first responders who lost their lives in the terror attacks.
When you walk the same route for six years, you get to know just about everyone along the path. Sergeant Jamie Sheridan is quite the familiar face around downtown Wilkes Barre.
"If we can develop those relationships, outside of those negative calls or those negative occurrences, then we can show people that it's not just bad for us to show up," says the Community Policing Sergeant.
But now, his daily steps across the city are some of his biggest strides.
"I just kind of walk the route. The only steps I pay attention to are the ones that I'm climbing," said Sheridan.
Sheridan has transformed his usual path into a training session. He's stepping up to honor a fallen brother of the badge.
"I remember exactly where I was. My son was a day short of being a year old, and I was sitting on the living room floor playing with him," Sheridan Recalls.
September 11th, 2001, was the day the world stopped.
"It's a constant reminder. A yearly reminder doesn't only remind us of who gave their lives on 9/11, but that gave their lives overall," said Sheridan.
But out of that dark day rose the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. It's a non-profit that has blossomed to help fallen first responders all over the country.
"With us personally, on December 21, we lost Christopher Mortensen, a sergeant with our department who died of Covid-related illnesses. And they paid off Chris's mortgage," said Sheridan.
So, he's honoring his brother in blue the best way he knows how.
"Everybody wants to know, what else can we do, what else can we do, what else can we do? This is a way that I'm able to give back to a foundation that gave to Chris," added the Sergeant.
Sheridan will be climbing One World Trade Center on June 2nd as part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in memory of Mortensen. He'll be climbing 104 floors, just as those first responders did nearly 23 years ago.
"I had to believe that a large number of them went in knowing that they weren't coming out, but they did it anyway," said Sheridan.
343 firefighters were lost that day. In 1993, two of our own also made that ultimate sacrifice.
"We were fighting a commercial structure fire in Pittston, and two dear friends lost their lives in the line of duty on March 15th of 1993. John Lombardo and Lenny Insalaco," said Sheridan.
Reminders of that tragedy can be seen throughout the city of Pittston. Their memory is held in the statue, on the bridge, and in the firehouses where they served.
"Back in the day before the new part was added, the firefighters used to hang out right back here in the back of the building right behind the trucks. There's a lot of things we do to try to keep the memory of John and Lenny alive everyday," said John Lombardo.
Some firefighters remember them by their bond. For others, like John Lombardo, it's by blood.
"My uncle passed away while my mother was actually pregnant with me. My parents didn't have a name for me yet, and after he died, they knew they wanted to name me after him," said Lombardo.
John Lombardo follows his uncle, not only by name but in his calling.
'It was difficult for me and my father. We had to have that conversation, it was obviously a very emotional one, but he knew," he recalls about his time in becoming a firefighter.
A sacrifice that will never be forgotten by their family, by their community, and by their fellow firefighters.
"It's so special to me to able to be able to memorialize him and work with men who were there with him that night," said Lombardo.
Those, like Sergeant Sheridan.
"Lenny and I were partners, and we went over on two different trucks," said Sergeant Sheridan.
And now, more than 30 years later, he will carry their memories through each step. All 2,226 of them.
The officer who is always there with a friendly hello is suddenly at a loss for words.
"Words escape me. It means the world to me," he says, speaking of this gesture.
As he trains for that first step towards 104 floors. It's a big stride but a small sacrifice to what so many have given.
Sheridan is raising money for the foundation on top of physical efforts. He is one of 1,000 who are taking part in the stair climb on June 2nd in New York City. He will be wearing shirts that have the names of Mortensen, Lombardo, and Insalaco as he makes his climb.