Anthony Camal, beloved judoka and firefighter, passes away
Anthony Camal, a beloved teacher, high school coach and former firefighter who was a national and international competitor in judo, has passed away.
Social media posts announcing Camal’s passing express nothing but love and sorrow for the loss of a great man and father figure to many.
Camal was originally instructed in Judo by his father Bill Camal and earned a bronze medal in the 1989 National Championships in Judo.
He is a seven-time New Jersey state champion in Judo and won the World Police and Firefighters championships in 2001 and took silver in 2003.
Camal has held the Annual Camal Judo Northeastern Championship for at least 14 years, and he served as the first vice president of the Hudson Yudankashi, a regional body of the United States Judo Association.
He was a teacher in Little Falls, New Jersey. As a coach he has produced many junior national, senior national and international competitors.
Camal received a 2012 Firefighter Award for Valor from the Paterson Fire Department in Paterson, New Jersey, and injured his back as a result of his duties as a firefighter.
