New Jersey firefighters honored a fellow firefighter Saturday, who died from cancer related to 9/11.

Rich Kubler was formerly a firefighter for the Hackensack Fire Department. He was one of the first to search for survivors at the scene on Sept. 11 in New York.

Kubler was only 53.

New Jersey firefighters honored him at his funeral, alongside firefighters from Maine, where Kubler had since moved.

News 12 is told that it was Kubler's dream to retire in Maine.