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Battle of the Badges benefits rookie Dayton police officer

On the ice, it was a battle for bragging rights between two fire departments. But in the stands, the fans were all on the same team.

The Battle of the Badges hockey match between Dayton and Toledo fire departments at the Kettering Recreation Center was for Dayton police officer Byron Branch. The rookie officer only six months into his job lost his leg in the line of duty in December when he was struck by a car while investigating a crash on Interstate 75.

Branch has a long recovery ahead, which is why both police and fire personnel joined together.

“I don’t think we could have imagined a better turnout,” said Nicole Dilley, the wife of a Dayton police officer. “The Dayton fire hockey team is the one that stepped up and wanted to host this event for us. And then the police wives really got together to get donations for the baskets and to be all the volunteers for today’s event.”

The event packed the ice rink.

“There is such a crowd in there, our ticket sales went through the roof. It has been amazing. I cannot wait to count the numbers,” Dilley said.

Support showed in the crowd: Red and blue families and community members all wearing black in solidarity. Even Branch’s daughter sported the badge on the front of her shirt, “Byron Strong.”

“The back of the shirts say ‘the only disability in life is a bad attitude,’ and I think that speaks a lot to Byron’s attitude and just the support system he has,” Dilley said.

A Go Fund Me page set up by the Dayton Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #44 so far has raised more than $35,000 toward its $50,000 goal.

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