25 Years Later: Northwest Arkansas Sheep Dogs Climb 110 Flights to Honor the Heroes of 9/11
Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Sheep Dogs in Northwest Arkansas came together in Fayetteville for a simple but powerful act of remembrance: climbing 110 flights of stairs in honor of the first responders who climbed toward danger when others were trying to escape it.
On September 11, 2026, local members and supporters of Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) gathered at the University of Arkansas to complete a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb representing the 110 floors of the World Trade Center.
It was a physical challenge, but the purpose was much greater than the climb.
110 Flights in Honor of Those Who Went Up
Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives as a result of the attacks on September 11, 2001.
As thousands of people inside the World Trade Center made their way down stairwells toward safety, firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel and other first responders were moving in the opposite direction.
They went up.
Toward the fire.
Toward the smoke.
Toward the unknown.
They went because other people needed them.
Twenty-five years later, that courage and sacrifice remain worthy of more than remembrance alone. They call us to action.
For the Sheep Dogs who participated in the Northwest Arkansas 9/11 Stair Climb, completing 110 flights offered an opportunity to carry, in some small way, the weight of that sacrifice.
Remembering Through Action
At Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, our mission is to Engage, Assist and Empower our nation’s military members, veterans and first responders to #GetOffTheCouch and live their best lives.
Sometimes getting off the couch means answering the call after a natural disaster. Sometimes it means taking on the challenge of an Outdoor Adventure, reconnecting with purpose and community, or taking the next step toward posttraumatic growth.
And sometimes it means showing up before the day gets underway, putting one foot in front of the other and climbing.
Again.
And again.
Until 110 flights are behind you.
The challenge becomes an act of remembrance, connection and gratitude.
25 Years Later, We Remember
For those who served on September 11 and in the days, months and years that followed, the legacy of 9/11 reaches far beyond a single date on the calendar.
It lives in the stories we continue to tell.
It lives in the names we continue to remember.
And it lives in the willingness of another generation to show up, learn what happened and honor those who answered the call.
SDIA is grateful to the local Sheep Dogs who participated in this year’s 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and to the University of Arkansas for helping provide an opportunity for our Northwest Arkansas community to gather in remembrance.
Twenty-five years later, we remember.
We honor.
We will never forget.
Get Off The Couch With Sheep Dog Impact Assistance
Sheep Dog Impact Assistance is a national nonprofit organization serving our nation’s military members, veterans and first responders through programs designed to foster continued service, connection, camaraderie and posttraumatic growth.
Through Outdoor Adventures, Warrior PATHH and Continued Service/Disaster Response Missions, SDIA provides opportunities for Sheep Dogs to reconnect with the sense of purpose and community that comes from serving alongside others.
Learn more about Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, find opportunities to get involved, or support our mission at SheepDogIA.org.
#911 #NeverForget #PatriotDay #September11 #911StairClimb #FirstResponders #Veterans #NorthwestArkansas #FayettevilleAR #UniversityOfArkansas #SheepDogImpactAssistance #SDIA #GetOffTheCouch