During a regular meeting on Tuesday, December 15th, the Lubbock City Council voted to extend the paid leave of absence for injured firefighter Matt Dawson, who is still recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

The 30-year-old Lubbock firefighter was injured while working the scene of a car accident on I-27 back on January 11th, 2020. Twenty-seven-year-old Nicholas Reyna of the Lubbock Police Department and 39-year-old firefighter Eric Hill were both killed in the accident when a truck slid off the road and struck them both. Dawson was severely injured.

After the accident, a GoFundMe page with a goal of just $10,000 raised more than $52,000 to help pay for the Dawson family's extensive medical bills.

Since the accident, Dawson has been making a slow recovery and spent some time at a rehabilitation center in Colorado before returning to Lubbock in August 2020 to continue his treatment closer to home.

When Dawson returned home in August, he we welcomed by the Lubbock community and fellow first responders. His family was also awarded a mortgage-free home by West Texas Hero Homes.

On Tuesday, the Lubbock City Council voted to give Dawson full pay through January 11th, 2022, and also approved $17,000 to help make up for lost income.

To keep up with Dawson's recovery, follow the Facebook group that his family set up.

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