Climbers Take Over PNC Park To Help Fight Lung Disease

By: Patrick Damp/KDKA-TV

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It was climbers vs. stairs at PNC Park on Saturday as climbers took on more than 1,000 steps at the park to help raise money to fight lung disease.

Those in attendance climbed around the lower bowl of the stadium in what was the 16th year for the fundraiser.

One of the climbers is a lung transplant recipient and the Manor Township native said he uses the event to train for his upcoming climb up Mount Everest.

"People need to know that there is life after transplant and if you are a lung recipient, it is something that can make your life better, so I'm glad to pay it back to them in full," David Skalski said.

Three years ago, Skalski climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and there he honored his donor, John Tuzak, a 26-year-old from Chicago, by spreading his ashes on the mountain.