St. Augustine fire chief replaces aspiring firefighter's stolen gear

A Jacksonville man’s dream of becoming a firefighter is back on track thanks to a donation from a fire chief.

Action News Jax first talked to Anel Muratovic on Sunday, after his car, with all of his firefighter training gear inside, was stolen from Azalea Ridge Apartments.

He is months away from finishing his firefighter training course and was worried he wouldn’t be able to replace the gear.

“I was beating myself up. I was like, ‘Maybe I should just quit,’" he said. "Honestly I was getting to the point where I was, like, 'Yeah I’ll probably finish at a different time.'"

Several current and former firefighters saw Action News Jax’s story on Sunday and contacted us to find out how they could help.

On Monday, Muratovic got a set of replacement gear from the St. Augustine Fire Department.

Action News Jax was there as he tried on the uniform.

“It’s an amazing feeling, a weight off my chest knowing 'Hey, I can complete the course,'” Muratovic said.

“The fire service is all about brotherhood,” Lt. Brandon Seymour, of the St. Augustine Fire Department, said.

“This is just an example of having each other’s backs and helping this young man get into the service like he set out to do.”

Muratovic said he can’t wait to finish the program and return the favor to a firefighter in training.

“Thanks to these amazing people, I can actually complete my goal and continue with my firefighter dream,” he said. “Hopefully, one day, I can pay it forward.”

Cox Media Group