Front desk associate at Tennessee Planet Fitness, Lezlie Bauler, posted a photo to Reddit this weekend of a man in full firefighter gear climbing stairs at the gym.
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The man was dressed in full firefighter gear and climbed 110 sets of stairs without stopping.
He asked Lezlie if it was alright for him to use gym equipment while fully suited. When asked why, he simply replied, “In honor of my fallen brothers and sisters for 9/11.”
“I am not one to get emotional but a few tears were shed,” Lezlie added.
The man in uniform has been identified as Public Safety Officer Jason Harding. He climbed a total of 110 stories — the exact number of stories it would take to reach the top of the World Trade Center.
Jason was unable to join the official National Stair Climb because he was on duty, so he paid tribute in his own way. “I have participated in Nashville’s Memorial Stair Climb for the past 4 years. Unable to make it this year, I decided to honor it anyway. When I went to the gym this morning before coming onto shift I was only wanting to honor the fallen heroes and their families on this day 15 years ago.”
Jason said he’s since received many heartfelt messages on Facebook.
“Many stated my act brought them to tears but little do they know, their support did the same for me.”