Washington troopers climb stairs, shave heads for a cause

Seventy members of the WSP and local law enforcement
agencies donated money and shaved their heads in support
of fellow officer James Mjor’s daughter, Ashley.

Hold the elevator! Oh never mind, I’ll take the stairs.

Taking the stairs – all 69 flights – is just what 1,550 firefighters did on March 8 to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Firefighters from 26 states and as far away as New Zealand and Germany gathered at the Columbia Tower in Seattle, Wash., with a mission to climb 69 flights of stairs in full firefighter combat gear including air pack, as they breathed on SCBA air – a total of 60 pounds of extra weight.

Tpr. Darren Wright enjoys the view at the top
of the Columbia Tower after the grueling 21-minute climb.

One of the firefighters participating for the third year was AAST member Tpr. Darren Wright, 41, of the Washington State Patrol, also a reserve firefighter with Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue.

In 2008, all 69 flights were climbed in 17 minutes flat. This year, the 18th year for the event, was a little slower at 21 minutes.

Ashley Mjor, 13, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma in December, shaves the head of her trooper
father in a February fundraiser.

“It was very crowded, and there was an energy level that cannot be described,” said Wright, who often out-climbs many of the younger firefighters. Last year Wright raised $500, but with special motivation this year, he came up with $1,000. Wright’s climb was in honor of Ashley Mjor, daughter of Det. James Mjor of the WSP. The 13-year-old was diagnosed with type B non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December.

“My climb was dedicated to Ashley,” said Wright, an 18-year veteran of the fire service. “Her picture was taped to the face shield of my helmet. For me, 21 minutes of discomfort was nothing compared to the courage Ashley shows through her treatments.”

In his third year of the 69-flight climb for the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Tpr. Darren Wright
knew the stamina required to complete the stairclimb.

Before entering the tower, the climbers’ gear was inspected to ensure they had complete gear typically required to enter a burning building. Each group began on the fifth floor, taking one last look straight up at the stairs rising up for eternity. At the 40th floor, climbers exited the stairwell to meet their bottle changer.

A quick change of the air bottle and a short breather and it was back into the never-ending stairs.

Finally they reached the top where a team of paramedics and volunteers began quickly removing the climbers’ gear to get them cooled down. After a quick evaluation from the medics and a bottle of water, they were able to enjoy the spectacular view of Seattle.

Thankfully the pain and intensity of the climb is quickly forgotten, and climbers begin preparing for the next year’s grueling event.

Wright’s air bottle and helmet exhibit his motivation:
Young Ashley Mjor’s battle with cancer.

In February, 70 Washington troopers and local officers, including one woman, shaved their heads in a fundraiser that brought in over $12,000 for the Mjor cancer fund. An account has been established at Wells Fargo for the Mjor family. Donations may be deposited into the Ashley Mjor Cancer Fund.

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