Bruce Springsteen has a lot to be proud of. The Boss' youngest son, Sam Springsteen, is officially a firefighter. The 26-year-old was one of 15 people sworn in by the mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey in January 2020. The swearing-in happened at the Jersey City Fire Department. Of course, Bruce was in the audience celebrating his son's accomplishment.
Sam graduated from the Monmouth County Fire Academy in 2014. He served as a volunteer firefighter at three different stations. In 2017, he took a civil service exam. Bruce has supported Sam every step of the way.
"It was a long road, he’s very dedicated, quite a few years and we are just excited for him today," Bruce told CBS2 of his youngest's accomplishments.
Of Bruce's three children, none of them has followed in the rock star's footsteps. Evan does have a passion for music. The 29-year-old is a program director and host for Sirius XM satellite radio. Bruce's daughter, Jessica, is a 28-year-old champion equestrian rider.
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Bruce Springsteen's son is now a member of Jersey City's bravest. The youngest of Bruce's three children, Sam, was sworn into the Jersey City fire department. He was one of 15 people sworn in at the ceremony.
Bruce was in the audience at the ceremony, beaming with pride. Sam's road to becoming a firefighter has been a long one. It started in 2014 when he graduated from the Monmouth Country Fire Academy.
"He’s very smart," Monmouth County Fire Marshal Henry Stryker III told the USA Today when Sam graduated the academy. He was clearly determined to achieve the goal from the very start. "He enjoyed what he was doing."
Sam served as a volunteer firefighter at three different stations. In 2017, he took the civil service exam. “It was a long road, he’s very dedicated, quite a few years and we are just excited for him today,” said Bruce.
Even though Bruce was there, he wanted to lie low. "This is my son's day, so I'm staying out of it," Bruce joked to reporters. "We're very proud. We're very proud … Sorry, folks. I don't have too much to say."
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop tweeted about the attendance of Bruce and his wife, Patti Scialfa. "The Boss @springsteen + Patti visited us in #JerseyCity City Hall today," he wrote. "They’re such nice ppl. We got to spend some time in my office talking about music but more than that they’re proud parents of a new JC Firefighter. Congrats to all the new FF joining the best FD anywhere."
Patti congratulated her son on his accomplishment over the summer. "CONGRATULATIONS ," the proud mom wrote. "You followed your dreams…JC firefighter .. Stay safe .. ❤️love your brave heart❤️."
Bruce and Patti are proud of all of their children, despite none of them following in their footsteps. In fact, Bruce revealed that his kids aren't even that familiar with his music. "We had our kids late, I was 40 when our first son was born, and they showed a healthy disinterest in our work over all the years," he told the New York Times in 2017.
"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. I know that none of my kids have read [Born to Run], though I imagine someday they will perhaps. I kind of like that."
Bruce's oldest, 29-year-old Evan, does have a bit of that music in him. He only sings and plays instruments recreationally, but it is something he enjoys. He's also a program director and host for Sirius XM satellite radio.
Then there's Bruce's daughter, 28-year-old Jessica. Jessica is an accomplished equestrian after riding for almost her entire life. She's a showjumping champion rider who has represented the United States Equestrian Team in international competition.
"I think the chemistry between you and your horse can vary from ride to ride," she told CNN of her career. "Some horses you get on immediately with and you pick right away and others it can take a little bit longer and be a bit of a struggle. But I think you have to be patient and it has to be a mutual give and take between the horse."
While their kids have all taken very different paths, it's clear that Bruce and Patti are very proud of them. Bruce offered some sage advice for parents raising children today in an interview with Esquire. "Be present. Be there," he said.
"I mean you have to be fully present in mind, spirit, and body. And you don’t have to do anything," he laughed. "I mean, you get a lotta credit just for showing up. Just by being present, you guide them. My children are transitioning into adulthood. But I’ve found my presence still carries a great deal of weight — on that rare occasion now when someone actually still asks me a question."
