LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas locals gathered Thursday morning in Spring Valley for a powerful tribute to the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
The Freedom Riders organization has a 343-minute cycling event, with each minute representing one of the fallen heroes from that tragic day.
I was out there bright and early to ask these riders what this annual event means to them.
The early morning event at EoS Fitness on Sahara and Cimmarron drew participants from across the region, including one dedicated rider who drove from Arizona specifically to join the tribute.
The atmosphere was filled with determination, community spirit and remembrance as cyclists prepared for the six-hour endurance challenge.
"I mean, everybody is out here super early in the morning. They're going to be working their butts off, literally, for the next six hours, and everyone says, you know, never forget. Always remember, try to pay it forward," firefighter Bill Gardner said.
The event held special significance for first responders who have personal connections to the September 11 attacks.
"I have some colleagues that were there on the day of the incident and survived. Thank God," said John Jurka, a retired law enforcement officer.
One Arizona participant demonstrated the far-reaching impact of the tribute, arriving just minutes before the event began.
"Showed up from Arizona. We just got here. We got here maybe five minutes before it started, drove here, hopped on a bike," one rider said.
For organizer Leanna Marchese, the event serves as both a physical challenge and an emotional tribute to ensure the sacrifices of September 11 are never forgotten.
"Does it still matter to people? And I could tell by the reactions of me just hanging this stuff up yesterday that it does matter. It matters to the community, and this is like our easiest way to say thank you to them in some crazy 343-minute way," Marchese said.
The cycling tribute represents more than physical endurance – it embodies the unity, sacrifice and remembrance that continues to define how Americans honor those who ran toward danger 24 years ago.