APOPKA, Fla. – Community members gathered in Apopka early Saturday morning for a memorial workout honoring fallen firefighter Austin Duran, whose legacy continues through a nonprofit dedicated to firefighter safety and community support.
The event featured a 26-minute, 50-second workout representing Duran’s badge number, 2650, and the 2650 Foundation, the nonprofit his family created following his line-of-duty death.
“It’s just absolutely amazing,” says Duran’s father, Mike Duran, founder of the 2650 Foundation. “I’m not surprised. You know, the 15 days, it just worked out when Austin was at the hospital. It’s the same thing. It’s community coming out and still supporting Austin, the foundation that is Austin. So you see four years later that the community is still coming together and still showing that support. It’s just absolutely amazing.”
Austin Duran, 25, was injured on June 30, 2022, while helping move a heavy sand trailer at an Apopka fire station. He suffered severe spinal injuries and died 15 days later, on July 15.
Saturday’s workout was one of several events held during the foundation’s annual “15 Days of Hope,” a series of community events leading up to the anniversary of Duran’s death.
Since its creation, the 2650 Foundation has funded specialized firefighter safety training for departments across Central Florida and awarded scholarships to local students. Organizers say the goal is to improve firefighter safety while giving back to the community that supported Duran and his family.
Apopka Mayor Nick Nesta participated in the workout and said it serves as a reminder of the sacrifices firefighters make every day.
“You tend to get a little choked up when you start to hit your wall and you think about kind of what he went through, what other firefighters are going through as well,” Nesta said. “Just pushing through, really overcoming obstacles—the mental and the physical strain—and just knowing that his life truly does impact our community now and will forever.”
The final event of the 15 Days of Hope will be a 5K beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Highland Memorial Gardens in Apopka.