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 91裸聊视频渓ost.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t took my mind off the grieving process,91裸聊视频� he said in an interview. 91裸聊视频淎 lot of people grieve in different ways and they cope with it in different ways.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淥ther than that, nothing special,91裸聊视频� 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 weekend91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频� though he stressed it would have been under an hour if media interviews hadn91裸聊视频檛 slowed him down.

91裸聊视频淣o after-effects at all, not a bit. Not even tired,91裸聊视频� he said in an interview the following day.

He won91裸聊视频檛 be attending next year91裸聊视频檚 ClimbUP campaign because he91裸聊视频檒l be busy in San Francisco for his granddaughter91裸聊视频檚 wedding, but said he91裸聊视频檒l continue his weekly escarpment climbs. Beyond that, he91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渘ot looking too far ahead yet,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 put off anything until tomorrow that you should be doing today.91裸聊视频�

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

The Canadian Press