By Shelby Brooks
On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, an Emerald firefighter will be climbing Mt Everest from his home in a bid to raise $10,000 for mental health charities.
Fire Rescue Victoria firefighter Chris May intends to climb 41,185 steps, the equivalent of climbing Mt Everest, as part of the virtual Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb.
In its eighth year, the event raises funds for Lifeline, Fortem Australia and the 000 Foundation to improve support services, fund research, remove stigmas and raise awareness of mental health issues like depression, Post Traumatic Stress Injury and suicide, especially for those within the emergency service and defence communities.
“Post Traumatic Stress is an incredibly close topic to me, having many friends that live with this injury including myself, some of whom have succumbed to the trauma and taken their own lives,” Chris said.
The event always has strong ties to the anniversary of 9/11, but this year being 20 years on makes it more potent than ever.
Chris said his life was shaped by the events of 11 September 2001.
As a grade six student waking up to watch the morning cartoons, he remembers watching the towers falling live on TV.
“Since 9/11 I have lived a crazy life- I joined the army, I was injured, I won an Australian of the Year award, I started a charity and that’s all come because of that day,” Chris said.
Chris joined the ADF and served in Afghanistan as part of the global war on terror with the intent on making the world a better place than that of that fateful day.
He served 10 years in the army and was wounded in an IED blast in Afghanistan and is recorded as one of the 200 Australian soldiers wounded in action in the Afghanistan missions.
Intent on continuing his passion to serve and help people, Chris began the charity ‘Young Veterans’, which is now an Australia-wide organisation that assists veterans in their post service life.
Chris was a finalist in the 2017 Australian of the Year Awards in Victoria, and he carried the Commonwealth Games Queens Baton on behalf of the veteran community in the same year.
Chris came to firefighting as a CFA Volunteer after leaving the defence force and searching for a new path in life.
Finding his passion in firefighting, Chris knows first-hand the trauma emergency service personnel witness.
“All emergency services, paid or volunteer, are the ones that go towards an emergency while others go away from it,” Chris said.
“They are there for people’s worst days of their lives and the incidents we see can take a toll.”
He is hoping to break $10,000 by starting a 15 hour stair climb 9am Saturday 11 September.
He is also auctioning off custom-made helmets which are expected to raise around $5000.
Chris said he’s aware climbing 41,185 steps in full firefighter gear will be tough.
“I’ve run two half marathons and they were physically and mentally exhausting,” he said.
“We’ll have to see how I go but my fiancé is an ICU nurse if need be.”
Chris will be using a step mill on loan from Vibe Health and Fitness Emerald.
Head to firefighterclimb.org.au/climber/chrismay/ to donate.
