The 18-year-old parks worker who died over the weekend while battling the wildfires in New Jersey was was killed by a falling tree.
Dariel Vasquez, a Parks and Recreation aid, was killed on Saturday while he was volunteering with the Wildland Fire Crew, fighting back flames along the Garden State’s border with New York, in the Sterling Forest located in Greenwood Lake, according to the Rockland/Westchester Journal News.
“My prayers go out to his family, friends and co-workers during this difficult time,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a post on X Tuesday. “I commend his dedication to serving and protecting his fellow New Yorkers, and his bravery on the front lines.”
A graduate of Ramapo High School, Vasquez was captain of the varsity baseball team. His family said he was working with the parks department — in addition to a job at Shoprite — to save money for college. He played baseball for four years and was named Rockland County Senior Male Athlete of spring 2024. His family said he was set to start his college journey in January.
Those who knew him participated in a vigil this week on his high school baseball field, where they placed candles next to the number 7, the number on his jersey, written in the dirt. They also released orange and green balloons to honor his memory.
“He always wanted to help wherever he could. There’s nothing fake about Dariel,” his boss at Shoprite, Teddy Goldstein, said as he battle back emotion. “There was no hiding his personality. Always genuine.”
New Jersey Forest Fire Service Chief Bill Donnelly remembered Vasquez for his selflessness, calling him brave.
“He’s brave, that’s for sure. I won’t deny that,” Donnelly said. “Here’s a young man that’s out there doing some really hard work. So I would definitely say New Jersey sends its condolences to his family.”
The wildfire Vasquez died fight, the Jennings Creek fire, has burned across nearly 5,000 acres in New Jersey, where residents have seen some of the driest conditions in 120 years. As of Wednesday, it was approximately 30% contained.
