Bergen County officials are paying tribute to an Army cadet originally from Ridgewood who died during a training exercise July 24.
The Ridgewood Professional Firefighters’ Association announced the death of Neil Edara, 22, in a Facebook post July 27. Edara volunteered as an emergency medical technician before joining Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Rutgers University.
“Our members remember Neil as a calm, kind and professional partner and friend,” the post read. “We send our sincere condolences to Neil’s family and friends during a very difficult time, and we will remember the time we had with Neil at the firehouse.”
Cadet Neil Edara of Ridgewood
The Ridgewood Police Department and village manager Keith Kazmark also offered condolences for Edara, who was conducting land navigation training at the Fort Knox military base in Kentucky when he became unresponsive.
The cause of Edara’s death remained under investigation as of July 28, according to the Army Cadet Command Post.
“Safety of cadets and cadre remains U.S. Army Cadet Command’s top priority as training continues,” the command said in a statement.
Edara joined the ROTC at Rutgers in September 2021 and was attending summer training as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, the Army said. More than 6,000 cadets are at the camp, which is composed of 10 regiments.
“Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I’ve had the privilege to know,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Sorenson, a professor of military science at Rutgers, in a statement shared by the Army. “His calm collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him. His loss is deeply felt across the entire ROTC and Rutgers community.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Neil Edara: Ridgewood NJ Army cadet killed is mourned