A 99-year-old Hamilton man climbed 1,776 steps to the top of the CN Tower over the weekend, his third time pulling off the accomplishment in support of charity.

Walter Decker was joined by his son, grandson and two great-grandsons at the United Way ClimbUP on Saturday, where he raised more than $3,000 for people struggling to meet basic needs from housing and food to mental health supports.

Decker, who turned 99 last week, said he first began stair climbing more than 10 years ago as a distraction from his grief after his wife passed away, which he said made him B次元官网网址渓ost.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚t took my mind off the grieving process,B次元官网网址� he said in an interview. B次元官网网址淎 lot of people grieve in different ways and they cope with it in different ways.B次元官网网址�

Since then, Decker has been climbing up the steps of the Hamilton Escarpment three times a week, which he said amounts to between 700 and 1,200 steps. He also does 30 to 50 pushups each morning when he wakes up.

B次元官网网址淥ther than that, nothing special,B次元官网网址� he said of his preparation for his journey up the tower, a feat he also accomplished in 2015 and 2016.

But a few years older at 99, Decker is still at the top of his game. During this weekendB次元官网网址檚 climb, he and his family members paced themselves, pausing to catch their breaths after 60 or 70 steps and careful not to rush, he said.

They climbed up the tower in 70 minutes and 20 seconds B次元官网网址� though he stressed it would have been under an hour if media interviews hadnB次元官网网址檛 slowed him down.

B次元官网网址淣o after-effects at all, not a bit. Not even tired,B次元官网网址� he said in an interview the following day.

He wonB次元官网网址檛 be attending next yearB次元官网网址檚 ClimbUP campaign because heB次元官网网址檒l be busy in San Francisco for his granddaughterB次元官网网址檚 wedding, but said heB次元官网网址檒l continue his weekly escarpment climbs. Beyond that, heB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渘ot looking too far ahead yet,B次元官网网址� he said with a laugh.

He had one message to pass on to others looking for motivation or to get started on their fitness journey.

B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 put off anything until tomorrow that you should be doing today.B次元官网网址�

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2023.

The Canadian Press