Memorial Service Set For Hero Who Found Bombs In Elizabeth

ELIZABETH, NJ — A memorial will be held Saturday to celebrate the life of Ivan White who is known for finding a backpack full of explosives in Elizabeth in September 2016 and helping to avoid a potential bombing attack.

White, 60, of Elizabeth, died on Jan. 29. The memorial celebration will be held at 11 a.m. at the Nesbitt Funeral Home, 165 Madison Ave., in Elizabeth.

White and his friend Lee Parker, who is homeless found the backpack containing five pipe bombs near the Elizabeth Train Station on Sept. 19, 2016. Parker was reportedly looking to use the backpack to carry his lunch when he saw what was inside and notified authorities about the bombs, according to CNN.com.

Due to their efforts, an attack was avoided, authorities believe. (See Related: Online Fundraiser Started For 2 Homeless Men Who Found Elizabeth Bombs)

White and Parker were both honored by Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage with keys to the city for seeing something and saying something.

Ahmad Khan Rahami, 31, aka Ahmad Khan Rahimi, of Elizabeth, was charged in connection with the Elizabeth bombs. He has since been sentenced to two life sentences for attempting to kill five Linden police officers who tried to arrest him.

Rahami shot at the police officers in Linden after he set off pipe bombs near a Marine Corps 5K in Seaside Park in September 2016 then followed that by planting pressure cooker bombs in Chelsea that same weekend.

• See Related: Seaside Park Bomber Gets 2nd Life Term In Police Shootout

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