Gloucester City firefighter sworn in 22 years after his father's line of duty death

GLOUCESTER CITY, New Jersey (WPVI) -- It was a particularly poignant night on Monday as new firefighters were sworn into duty for the Gloucester City Fire Department.

One of them is following in the footsteps of his father who died while in the line of duty 22 years ago.

"I tried college. I tried a couple different jobs. [It] led me to the point I knew this was what I really wanted to do and where my heart was at," said Nicholas Stewart.

His father, Thomas Stewart, was killed along with two other firefighters while battling a blaze in 2002. He worked as a firefighter at the same Gloucester City Fire Department.

Thomas responded to a house fire and was trying to rescue three children when the home collapsed.

At the time, Stewart was 6 months old, and his father had proposed to his mother just one day before.

"It's scary for a mom, especially for a mom in my position with what happened. At the end of the day, this is what he's meant to be, meant to do," said Stewart's mother, Danielle Ruggierio.

Stewart worked as a volunteer firefighter in Westville, New Jersey for the past three years and trained extensively for this role.

He says now is the start of his true career calling. It's an opportunity he doesn't take for granted.

"I'm a third generation firefighter; my grandfather was a firefighter, my father was a firefighter," said Stewart. "I think it's one of those things you were born with. You either have it or don't have it. I think since the time I was born I've had it."

Stewart was sworn in along with Nathan Castagna at the Gloucester City Municipal Building Monday evening.

His first shift will be Tuesday, February 27.