For one Hamilton man, age is just a number and he is using the Kenilworth stairs to prove it as he nears his 99th birthday.
Ninety-eight-year-old Walter Decker has been climbing the stairs once a week for the past 10 years.
It all started when his second wife passed away in 2013 as a part of his grieving process. He needed something to keep him busy and the stairs proved to be just that.
“I was grieving, I needed a diversion. Stair climbing seemed like something that appealed to me.” Decker said.
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Since then, he has become Hamilton’s stair master, climbing around 228 of them every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.
For his 99th birthday, though, he has much bigger things planned.
“I’m doing the CN Tower Climb on the 21st.”
This will be the third time that Decker conquers the 1,776 step, 144-flight climb. The last time he took on the CN Tower Climb in 2016, he set the world record as the oldest climber to take on the challenge.
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Besides the undeniable joy that Decker has found in his journey on the stairs, he is the first to say his constant exercise has had significant benefits on his health.
“In my early 60’s I started developing arthritis in my ankles… arthritis went away. My muscles are strong, my heart muscle is strong, my lungs are flexible.”
The advice he has for anyone facing challenging times? Never give up.
“A lot of people start doing something and because they experience pain, they give up… never give up.”
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