This story is evocative, inspirational, poignant and heart-warming, all at the same time.
Since Jason Harding was pictured at the gym in his firefighter uniform using the steps machine (StairMaster), the Facebook post about it has gone viral.
And it's for good reason.
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Lezlie Bauler, who works on the front desk at the gym in Tennessee, uploaded the image to Facebook, reports KGW.
In the post, she writes: "This man asked if it was okay for him to climb 110 sets, fully suited, of stairs in honour of his fallen brothers and sisters for 9/11. Yes sir, you can. I am not one to get emotional, but a few tears were shed. Thank you for your services."
This is the same number of sets of stairs that firefighters had to climb at the World Trade Center. 343 firefighters were reported to have died that day when the towers collapsed.
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Every year there is the Memorial Stair Climb in Nashville, and Harding had attended the last four years, but this year his shift clashed so he decided to do it in the gym instead.
Credit: Facebook
Since being snapped, Harding, a public safety officer who works as a policeman, firefighter and paramedic, made this statement, which is worth reading in full:
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"When I went to the gym this morning at 6am before coming onto shift I was only wanting to honour the fallen heroes and their families on this day 15 years ago. I was not and am still not looking for any self-recognition. I have received so many private messages via Facebook from people expressing support, gratitude and blessings. Many stated my act brought them to tears but little do they know, their support did the same for me. I want to thank everyone that shared and commented in response to this post. It is proof that although we seem divided as a country at times, we unite at the most crucial times. As a Public Safety Officer and McGhee Tyson airport officer, I am honoured to be a firefighter, a police officer and a paramedic. I have been in emergency services for the most of my career after college and wouldn't change that for anything. There are memorial stair climbs all across the country today honouring just as I did. I have participated in Nashville's Memorial Stair Climb for the past four years. Unable to make it this year, I decided to honour anyway."
Truly moving. We salute you Jason Harding.
Main image credit: Facebook
Featured Image Credit:Topics: 9/11, Firefighter