While millions of Americans took Monday to reflect on the events that happened over 20 years ago, several local firefighters remembered the terrorist attacks of 9/11 one step at a time. Thousands of people took to the bleachers at Lambeau Field on Saturday morning to participate in the Pierce Manufacturing 9/11 Stair Climb, which raises money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to provide resources to assist their survivors in rebuilding their lives after losing their loved ones. Firefighters often take to the loop around Lambeau Field with their full turn-out gear on to add extra meaning to the 343 members of the New York Fire Department who perished when terrorists crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center, causing them to collapse.

While several departments have made it a tradition, Saturday was a first for Brussel-Union-Gardner’s Adam Monfils and Alex Knutson. From clipping on a name tag of a fallen firefighter to ringing a bell to commemorate the 87th floor of the World Trade Center, which was the highest point a firefighter reached on that day, Monfils says it was an emotional experience.

Monfils says he is already making plans to participate next year, but Algoma's Erin Mueller, it is already a tradition.

The wife of a firefighter, this was Mueller's fifth time completing the circuit around Lambeau Field. She says the emotions felt throughout the event have never lessened despite participating multiple times.

In addition to the 343 firefighters who died on 9/11, ABC News reports that another 331 firefighters have passed away as a result of post-9/11 illnesses. Forty-three names were added to a special memorial wall to commemorate those lost due to those illnesses, the biggest group of additions since it was created in 2011. You can find a list of names who died in the attacks and remembered at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City here.

Pictures by Adam Monfils and Erin Mueller