The Hoboken gymnasium at 605 Jackson St. was officially renamed after the late Damon Murray, who was also posthumously made a firefighter, after he was tragically gunned down at 21 years old in April.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Damon’s parents, Carolyn Dejarnette-Murray and Tarik Murray, his siblings and other family members, friends, and neighbors gathered as a community to dedicate the “Damon Murray Community Gym.”
An honorary plaque was hung outside the gym stating: “In loving memory of Damon Murray, a champion on the field and a champion for the community. His love for his family, his dedication to football, and his passion for mentoring the youth of Hoboken will forever be an inspiration.”
“Today, is bittersweet as my son was taken before he was able to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter in his hometown,” Dejarnette-Murray.
“I will be forever proud of Damon, or ‘Nunu’ as we called him, and what he accomplished as he worked toward that goal in recent years. I thank Chief [Anton] Peskens, and the fire department, for recognizing how much this moment would have meant to Nunu and how much it does mean to his entire family.”
During the gym dedication, Mayor Bhalla joined Fire Chief Anton Peskens to posthumously make Damon Murray a member of the Hoboken Fire Department.
At the time of his death, he had recently passed the firefighters civil service exam and was working toward becoming a member of Hoboken FD.
Damon Murray’s parents accepted a helmet and badge #117 in his honor.
His helmet bears the number one, to indicate his posthumous assignment to Ladder Company 1, at 1313 Washington St., the company Peskens worked out of and oversaw for over two decades.
“Today, we come together to remember, and to honor Damon Murray; celebrating his passion for sports, his love of his community, and his aspirations of becoming a first responder,” Mayor Ravi Bhalla said at the ceremony.
“It is my hope that this gym, now bearing Damon’s name, will not only keep his memory and legacy alive for the generations of youth to come, but also serve as a powerful reminder of our collective obligation to combat gun violence and provide a gateway for our youth to a brighter future.”
A 2020 graduate and star athlete at Hoboken High School, Damon Murray was a preferred walk-on for the Rutgers University football program.
At the time of his death, he was working as a paraprofessional with special needs children at the Hoboken Public School District. His anticipated hiring at the fire department would have furthered his career in public service.
Following Damon Murray’s untimely death, the city and Hoboken Police Department held a gun buyback in June. The event, funded by the City of Hoboken, collected more than 160 firearms, reducing the potential for gun violence in and around Hoboken.
13 other Hoboken residents also joined HFD this week and were at the dedication ceremony and this class will be training in Hoboken, prior to entering the Fire Academy in mid-September.
This class includes Damon’s good friend and former teammate at Hoboken High School and Rutgers University, Nyjon Freeman, who spoke to the crowd, calling Damon Murray “my best friend, my brother, my heart outside my body.”
Nyjon went on to thank Damon for being a great son, brother, role model, and friend, and said, “Everything you did in your 21 years of living will never be forgotten. You will always have a special place in our hearts. We love you forever.”
