By Matt Smith/msmith@trcle.com
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Prayers offered and support given by law enforcement officers and residents has made a huge difference during a difficult time, Grandview Police officer David Dunaway said Thursday.
“It means everything in the world to me and my family,” Dunaway said.
Dunaway suffered life-threatening injuries in June after his patrol car slid off the road and struck a tree and fence post while he was en route to assist a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office deputy on County Road 405 north of Grandview.
Dunaway suffered injuries to his face, legs and feet and remained trapped in his car for more than an hour. Dunaway spent eight days in the trauma unit at a Fort Worth hospital.
A benefit concert Thursday raised money for Dunaway and his family at Turkey Creek Bar & Grill in Alvarado.
Justin Frazell, morning disc jockey for KFWR/95.9 FM The Ranch emceed the night. Several area musicians took the stage, including Steve Helms, Austin Allsup, the Willie Cordova Band and Amos Moses.
The Cleburne Police Officer’s Association, Cleburne Police Officer’s Families Association and Bless the Badge Ministry organized the event, and Shawn Watson, owner of Edge Events, worked with those groups to organize the bands.
“He’s doing pretty good,” said Tom Dunaway, Dunaway’s father. “He’s still having trouble with his eye, and we don’t know how that’s going to go yet.”
Dunaway hopes to return to work but still suffers from double vision in one eye, the result of broken bones and injuries suffered in the wreck.
“I need all the prayers I can get right now,” Dunaway said. “Especially with the situation with my eye.”
The prognosis on Dunaway’s eye doesn’t look promising right now, his father said, but the family has not given up hope and plans to seek a second medical opinion.
“The first doctor got it pretty close,” Dunaway said. “But I still have the double vision, which obviously is a problem for doing police work.”
Dunaway also faces more surgeries to repair damage to his nose.
Dunaway and his father said they count their blessings, however, and realize things could be worse. Tom Dunaway said he’s thankful his son was wearing a bulletproof vest that day.
“That vest and somebody upstairs, that’s the only reason he’s here today,” Tom Dunaway said.
Injuries to Dunaway’s leg have largely healed, his father said, but he faces rehabilitation and still has to remain wheelchair bound for another month.
“He’s going crazy just staying at home,” Tom Dunaway said. “He loves to hunt and fish and, with dove season started, he’s going crazy not to get out.”
Dunaway said he feels for his wife, Cassie, and son, William.
“It’s been real hard on my wife, having to work then come home and take care of me,” Dunaway said. “My mother-in-law’s been a great help, coming by during the day to help out.”
Dunaway and his father said they’ve both been blown away by support from Grandview and Johnson County officials and residents.
“People all the time are asking me how David is and what they can do for him,” Tom Dunaway said. “Asking if they can do things for them, mow, feed the animals. Cassie’s been a real go-getter, trying to do everything.”
CPOA President Shane Wickson said his organization felt it was important to help another officer and said the benefit concert proved an ideal way to do that.
“I’d say it was a rousing success,” Wickson said. “The place was pretty packed with a lot of people, and we raised a lot of money to help officer Dunaway and his family out.”
Admission receipts from the event totaled about $1,500, Wickson said. A guitar auctioned off and signed by several local musicians fetched another $600.
Barbecue sandwiches sold in Turkey Creek’s parking lot accounted for another $600, Wickson said.
Gary McLain, owner of New Vision Construction, and Chad Tinsley, owner of Maverick Materials, prepared the barbecue.
The barbecue is a sideline the two do for benefits and charitable causes, McLain said.
“Shane called and told us what they were doing, and we knew we wanted to be here,” McLain said.
Proceeds from a raffle remain to be determined, Wickson said, and the Turkey Creek owners intend to donate some of the night’s bar take.
“We had a lot of police officers show up from Cleburne, Grandview, Alvarado, deputies from the sheriff’s office, some firemen,” Wickson said. “Several of the bar regulars, once they found out what we were doing, came up and gave donations. A couple of people gave us $100 bills at the door and said keep the change.”
Residents can still make donations in Dunaway’s name to the Bless the Badge Code 3 fund at any Compass Bank location.
On the web:
www.blessthebadge.com
