“It’s been two years since the shock and horror of the fire aboard the Grande Costa D’Avorio that took Newark Fire Captains Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr. from their families and loved ones, their fellow firefighters, and from the city that is forever indebted to their selfless acts of bravery.

“July 5 will always be a day of grief and reverence for these men, who changed the lives of everyone who knew them and anyone who stood dockside as their bodies were lowered from the ship. They taught us the depths of love and the height of commitment.

“Nothing can fill the voids left in these men’s wake, but new legislation awaits the governor's signature to codify ongoing supplement funding for firefighter services in Newark. This is yet another indication of the impact of their lives on our world, and the imprint of their love on our hearts.”

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