Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the City of Hoboken renamed the gymnasium at 605 Jackson St. in honor of Damon Murray, a lifelong Hoboken resident who tragically lost his life to gun violence last spring at the age of 21.
Mayor Bhalla, 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 gym 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.”
During the gym dedication, Mayor Bhalla joined Fire Chief Anton Peskens to posthumously make Damon 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 HFD. Damon’s parents accepted a helmet and badge #117 in their son’s honor. His helmet bears the number one, to indicate his posthumous assignment to Ladder Company 1, at 1313 Washington St., the company Chief 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,” said Mayor Bhalla. “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.”
“Today, is bittersweet as my son was taken before he was able to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter in his hometown,” said 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 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.”
A 2020 graduate, and star athlete at Hoboken High School, Damon was a preferred walk-on for the Rutgers University football program. At the time of his death, Damon 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’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.
Thirteen other Hoboken residents also joined HFD this week and were at the dedication ceremony. All 13 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, “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.”
Following the dedication, local youth participated in open court time, to officially welcome all to the new “Damon Murray Community Gym.” The multi-purpose gymnasium is home to multiple City recreational programs and can be reserved by organizations at: https://hoboken.recdesk.com/Community/Home.
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