TX Firefighter Injured in Fatal Crash Welcomed Home

Matt Dawson waved to his supporters, many of them fellow firefighters, as he sat in the passenger seat of the fire-red Lubbock Fire Rescue SUV that led the motorcade that arrived at the Lubbock Fire Training Facility after picking him up from the airport.

Dawson, 30, remained in the SUV as it parked in front of the crowd of firefighters, law enforcement officers, family and friends who gathered there to welcome him back from Colorado where he spent more than four months in physical therapy.

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Dawson was one of three first responders injured while responding to a Jan. 11 wreck caused by icy roads I-27 north of Lubbock.

Emergency crews were responding to an initial crash about 8:19 a.m. in the northbound lanes of I-27 near Drew Street/FM 1294 that involved a single vehicle that had been in the southbound lanes, crossed the median into the northbound lanes and rolled.

About 10 minutes later, a second vehicle hauling a trailer left the southbound lanes of I-27 and rolled, coming to rest in the median 25 to 50 yards south of the first crash.

While working both accidents, a silver Ford F-250 pickup truck traveling southbound on I-27 crossed over into the median and that struck Dawson, Lubbock Fire Rescue Lt. Eric Hill and Lubbock police officer Nicholas Reyna. The crash killed Hill and Reyna.

Hayden Brown holds a sign to welcome Lubbock, TX, firefighter Matt Dawson back to Lubbock at Lubbock Fire Administration on Thursday. Hayden's father, Dustin Brown, was one of the firefighters that accompanied Dawson to Colorado for rehabilitation.

"Their sacrifice will never be forgotten," said Fire chief Shaun Fogerson during Thursday's reception. "The man sitting in that red vehicle right in front of you, left out of that fire station over there in a fire truck to render assistance to someone he had never met and began a journey that he is still on today."

Dawson suffered traumatic brain injury, bone fractures in his legs, wrist ribs and skull. In March, Dawson and his family traveled to Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, which specializes in rehabilitation for people suffering spinal cord and brain injury.

Fogerson praised Dawson for the courage and strength he displayed during his recovery.

"Matt Dawson has learned a lot about himself on that journey and those of us that love and respect him have what we have always thought about him confirmed: Number one, he is stronger than we are," he said. "He has dealt with pain and adversity that most of us will thankfully never know. He can fight harder than we can. There's a lot of us that would have given up just part of the way into this journey but Matt, never ever gives up."

Stewart Townsen, with West Texas Hero Homes, told Dawson and his family during the ceremony that plans are underway to build them a new home.

West Texas Hero Homes is a non-profit group that provides mortgage-free homes to veterans and first responders.

Townsen said the initial plan was to remodel the Dawson's home and equip it with the amenities Dawson needed to continue his rehabilitation.

He said the plans changed when they received the list of the amenities Dawson needed.

"The list was so broad," he said. "Let's just build him a home to meet all the needs that he has."

Among the proposed amenities the Dawson's new home will feature is a workout/physical therapy room, he said.

"It's going to be a completely handicap accessible home," Townsen said.

Dawson waved again to the crowd as his SUV left the training facility escorted by a fleet of Lubbock motorcycle police officers as it headed to Moody Rehabilitation where he will continue his rehabilitation.

Fogerson said after the ceremony that he was thankful for the support the city's residents have given the Dawson, Reyna and Hill families and the Lubbock fire and police departments.

"There's no doubt that you helped Matt's recovery and the emotional recovery of the Hills and the Reynas," he said. "Just to see the support fills our hearts with joy and love and we appreciate it."

He said he was elated with Dawson's return and the recovery he has made so far.

"(We're) ready to join him and support him and his family as they continue this journey," he said. "Till he gets back to full health and is able to come back here and get back on a fire truck and go help more people, which is what he loves to do."

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