To Apopka and surrounding communities and all of Austin's Army…
Over the last four months, the Duran family has worked tirelessly to keep alive the memory and spirit of their son Austin, a fallen Apopka firefighter. The Duran's are dedicated advocates for support and safety within Apopka's first responder teams and have no plans to change that priority.
It started with introducing a heartfelt letter written by Austin 10 months into his career, pointing out some concerns and areas of growth, specifically with mentorship within the department. Then, Duran pushed city leadership to open up funding to hire 18 additional firefighters in the 2023 budget year, known as 'Austin's 18'.
During the November 2nd City Council meeting, Austin's father Mike announced an exciting opportunity coming to Apopka in Austin's memory. Duran, Fleet Manager for City Beverages, an Anheuser-Busch Wholesaler, is bringing the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales to Apopka to give back to the community Austin so passionately served. City leadership, in addition to the Apopka Fire Department, is in full support of this incredible opportunity and will work alongside Duran to ensure this momentous event is something Apopka can take pride in and enjoy.
The Budweiser Clydesdales will visit Apopka on December 2nd, 2022, from 3pm-5pm at Kit Land Nelson Park. This exciting event will back right up into the city of Apopka's annual Christmas Tree Lighting event.
The Duran family's greatest wish is to have the people of Apopka and beyond come out and share in this moment with the community to celebrate the holiday season while also remembering Austin and his dream of seeing his hometown unite in unity, excitement and joy.
Keep an eye out for additional news on this event in the coming days…
