Bruce Springsteen’s Son Sam Sworn In As New Jersey Firefighter, Says ‘It Wasn’t Easy’

Getty Images | EMMANUEL DUNAND

Iconic American singer-songwriter Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen’s youngest son has made his family proud by pursuing a career as a first responder. Sam Springsteen has followed his dreams of becoming a firefighter in the Springsteen family’s home state of New Jersey.

As per CNN, 26-year-old Sam was officially sworn in to the Jersey City Fire Department (JCFD) by Mayor Steven Fulop on Jan. 14, 2020, alongside 14 firefighting comrades.

“It was a long road,” his proud father Bruce, 70, explained to WCBS. “[H]e was very dedicated for quite a few years, and we are just excited for him today.”

As for Sam, he humbly told ABC News that he didn’t have much to say except “It wasn’t easy.” As of January 2020, the JCFD has 666 firefighters, a historic high for the department.

ABC News later shared photos from Sam’s enrollment ceremony on Facebook, including a moving snap of Bruce and his youngest son sharing a warm embrace, and another of Sam with his mother, Patti Scialfa. Thousands of followers and fans left supportive comments.

“Here is a young man who has grown up in [a] family of fame and wealth and he has chosen such a noble profession,” one person wrote. “It speaks a lot to what kind of people they are. They have a right to be very proud!”

“Congrats, he is now a hero like all other firefighters,” wrote another. “His dad brings us so much joy with his music, and his son will save lives. Their two legacies, though very different, will last.”

Sam graduated from the Monmouth County Fire Academy back in 2014, taking a civil service exam to allow him to become a member of the fire department three years later. He also worked as a volunteer firefighter at three different stations: the Colts Neck, the Long Branch, and the North Wildwood Fire Departments.

According to the Cape May County Herald, as a volunteer, Sam even assisted in saving a fisherman who was stranded waist-deep in mud near Phillip Shields Island in 2016. The rescue team had to employ hand tools, long boards, a paddle board, and an ice-rescue sled to free the victim.

Monmouth County Fire Marshal Henry Stryker III described Sam to USA Today as being “very smart” and enjoying his work.

Springsteen’s wife, Sam’s mother, Patti, first shared news of her youngest son’s acceptance to the JCFD on Aug. 1, 2019, with a supportive message on Instagram beside a black-and-white portrait of her son. “Congratulations,” Patti wrote. “You followed your dreams ... JC firefighter ... Stay safe ... love your brave heart.”

(L–R) Evan Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Sam Springsteen, and Jessica Springsteen at the Tony Awards at New York City's Radio City Music Hall on June 10, 2018 ©Getty Images | ANGELA WEISS

In 2017, Bruce reflected on fatherhood and the various interests of his three children, none of whom have directly followed his footsteps into show-business, in an interview with The New York Times. “We had our kids late,” the singer began. “I was 40 when our first son was born, and they showed a healthy disinterest in our work over all the years.

“They had their own musical heroes, they had their own music they were interested in,” he continued. “They’d be pretty blank-faced if someone mentioned a song title of mine, and I always looked upon that as that we did a good job.”

Bruce and his wife have three children together: Evan, 29, Jessica, 28, and Sam, the youngest, at 26 years of age. Evan is a singer, director, and radio host; Jessica is an award-winning equestrian.

Just like his successful siblings, Sam Springsteen looks set to make both his family and his home state immensely proud.