2025 Teen Miss Putnam County Fair Annabella Stevens climbed the 110 stories of Nashville’s Snodgrass Tower as part of a 9/11 memorial stair climb.
Stevens said she co-hosted the event with her father, who is a firefighter. Stevens said they display photos of the 343 fallen firefighters from the 9-11 attack in the stairwell every year. Stevens said it is a chance to remember those first responders and learn their stories.
“Seeing the 343 pictures on the wall of people who lost their lives trying to save others is deeply impacting,” Stevens said. “And I know the butterfly effect of the tragic 9/11, and how their families are still suffering due to that loss.”
Stevens said the stair climb was put on to raise money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and she said it was an honor to contribute to the cause.
Stevens said her father was the first to teach her about the 9/11 attacks. Stevens said his perspective as a firefighter brought the event even more to life.
“He began to explain as a firefighter himself what it felt like to watch that the on TV,” Stevens said. “And to know that firefighters are doing their best to save lives and succeeding, but also to know that people are losing their lives because of it, I knew right from that moment that I wanted to study more about this and help out the best I could at the Nashville stair climb.”
Stevens said her father explained to her how the attacks happened. In addition, he was able to provide insight on the loss families who were impacted may have felt.
The stair climb was held Sunday at the Snodgrass Tennessee Tower in Nashville.
In addition to displaying the photos, Stevens said she helped set up stations for the participants to pick up t-shirts. Stevens said during the climb itself, she motivated the firefighters while they made their way up the stairs. Stevens said she stood by to assist with medical emergencies.
“[The stair climb] is really challenging,” Stevens said. “You’d think that it would be more of a physically challenging thing, but really, the mental challenge is the biggest part.”
Stevens said it is important for the younger generation to learn about and remember the 9/11 attacks because of their societal impacts. Stevens said there is no way to predict a terrorist attack or tragedy, so people need to be aware that they can happen at any time.
Participants in last weekend’s stair climb took on a 110 story ascent as they remembered the fallen first responders.
Stevens said people can donate to National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which has raised some $15 million for the families of firefighters who died in the 9/11 attacks.
