Philadelphia gym honors 9/11 first responders with 110-story stair climb

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Retro Fitness gym in North Philadelphia hosted a 9/11 memorial stair climb today as part of efforts across the city to memorialize the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 25 years ago. 

The gym planned to take participants on a rolling basis during its hours of operation from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Along with the challenge, the gym accepted donations and used point-of-sale donation prompts to collect funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. 

The challenge involved climbing the equivalent of 110 flights on the gym’s stair climber machines — a feat that would take 2,071 steps and was meant to memorialize the 110-story climb first responders made at the World Trade Center to save lives on 9/11. 

Despite not being old enough to remember the day hijacked planes hit the Twin Towers in New York, Joseph Fogliano didn’t hesitate to accept the challenge Friday morning. 

“I have a great respect for those firefighters,” said Fogliano. “On top of the physical challenge, just the courage of them to go up there, knowing that they might not come down, and doing it selflessly to save others … It’s great respect and a great honor to be able to remember them.” 

While he accepted the soreness he might feel after the challenge, Fogliano recognized that climbing in an air-conditioned gym couldn’t compare to the experience of the firefighters who climbed on 9/11. Firefighters who took the 110 flights of stairs that day carried about 60-90 pounds of gear through fire and smoke to save lives. Of the firefighters who responded to the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11, 343 died. 

At 13 in 2001, Travis Barclay remembers his school dismissing early on 9/11 and his military uncle being sent to New York. After taking part in the Retro Fitness challenge, Barclay said those memories were still fresh. 

“What happened 25 years ago was an incredible tragedy. I still can’t believe it happened even today,” Barclay said. “It feels really good to take on a new challenge and honor that day.”

2026 marks the fifth year Retro Fitness has held the memorial challenge at its locations. Founded in 2004 in New Jersey, the gym has ties to those affected by 9/11, according to Greg Pfohl, Retro Fitness’ senior vice president of operations. 

“It’s more than just feeling for them. It’s part of their life, so I think for us the chance to give back and help them is super meaningful,” Pfohl said. 

Helping recruit for the challenge were three members of the U.S. Marine Corps with a pull-up bar tabling outside the gym. With a U.S. Army recruiting station just a block east of the North Philly Retro Fitness, the gym reached out to see if they’d want to table alongside their stair climb challenge. 

“We jumped on it as soon as possible because we love Retro Fitness,” said Sgt. Jalil McKie who helped table Friday. “And they love us, so why not?” 

While McKie said he was in diapers during 9/11, he said the 25th anniversary made him think of the sacrifice others made that day, as well as why he joined the military in the first place: love for his country. 

“I’m able to wake up and live how I want to, breathe how I want to breathe,” said McKie. “America’s given me so much. It’s blessed me and my family.”