Hundreds Make World Trade Center Tower Climb

More than 700 people took the long way up at the World Trade Center on Thursday — climbing the stairs — for the inaugural “Runyon Up,” a fundraiser for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

Elite climbers went first, leading the pack at 4 World Trade Center. Participants could either tackle all 72 floors, or do a partial climb of 54.

Tim Donahue was the first man to reach the 72nd floor, making the climb in just under 9 minutes. The 44-year-old New York City teacher does several tower climbs a year. The first woman was Shari Klarfeld, 33, of Plainview, who made it in slightly over 11 minutes.

“It’s striking how new this building is. It’s like an unused baseball glove,” Donahue said. “It’s missing the cigarette butts and gum stains.”

The building, part of a complex still under construction to replace the towers destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attacks, is so new that the floors climbers finished on were still unfinished.

Being at the World Trade Center site had particular meaning for Capt. Ray Farrell of New York’s Ladder 43 in East Harlem, who made the climb with a few of the men from his company.

“We climbed from ashes, here we are,” the 25-year veteran said.

Some firefighters from New Jersey came in full gear.

“We do it as a tribute” to those who were lost in the Sept. 11 attacks, said Sean Smith, 22, who was wearing 68 pounds of equipment. He has been a firefighter for five years in Lebanon, N.J.

The event raised more than $170,000 for the foundation.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the April 7th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.