JERSEY CITY, N.J. — A veteran firefighter died suddenly Christmas day following his shift.
NJ.com reported that James Woods, a Jersey City firefighter for more than a decade, died at the age of 44. Woods also spent many hours alongside first responders at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
Woods completed a 24-hour shift Christmas morning and then returned home. At some point, he said he wasn’t feeling well and went to lie down. The next time someone checked on him, he had died.
An autopsy report listed his cause of death as inconclusive.
Jersey City Fire Capt. Chris Fodera said he formed an “unbreakable bond” with Woods at the fire academy.
“We started together, we had each other’s backs,” said Fodera. “And he was the first one I saw when I reported for duty. He had an infectious smile. He would talk to you one-on-one. I can hear his voice now.”
Besides his wife, Maryann, Woods is survived by his three children, Maegan MacKenzie, James III, and Jenna.