CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Over 1,200 Chicagoans gathered to climb to the very top of the Aon Center for the 27th annual Aon Step Up for Kids event on Sunday, which raises money for the patients and families of Lurie Children's Hospital.
It’s an 80-floor stair climb to the top of the Aon Center, which ends in a celebration overlooking Grant Park, complete with pizza and music.
Among those in attendance was 17-year-old Ava Sweazy, who was there for her third time.
“It’s fun to do, exercise-wise,” Ava said of the 1,643-stair climb.
She climbed the Aon Center steps with 14-year-old Leo Sweazy, who told WBBM he hoped to make the climb in under 40 minutes.
“I’m going to have my music in, and I’m going to be in my own mindset, telling myself to keep going,” he said. “When I get tired, I’m going to keep going, I’m going to get water.”
Their team name was “Ari’s Crew,” for their cousin, Ari Schuster, who is a patient at Lurie.
“[Lurie’s] doctors help me to try and make my allergies get better as I get older,” Ari said.
Kristen Nowak was another participant on Sunday. She was joined by a team of about 40 people for her son, Jerry, who has been a patient at Lurie for 18 years.
“He’s had five heart surgeries, and he’s the reason we climb every year,” Nowak said. “This is our 16th year climbing.”
The goal is to raise more than $700,000.
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