By Jacob Factor
The Denver Post
DENVER — The Denver police sergeant who was seriously injured during the Nuggets’ NBA championship parade in June has had his leg amputated, according to a message posted to a website created to collect donations for him and his family.
Sgt. Justin Dodge was in front of a fire truck carrying Denver Nuggets players during the June 15 parade, trying to protect paradegoers who had moved onto the street, when the truck rolled over his left leg, Denver police Chief Ron Thomas said during a news conference that afternoon.
Dodge went into surgery that day, but Denver Health Medical Center emergency room chief Dr. Stephen Wolf said during the new conference that Dodge’s injuries could threaten his leg.
A website in Dodge’s name, sgtjustindodge.com, that links to a Denver Police Foundation donation page states Dodge is recovering from a “recent leg amputation.”
A spokesperson for the Denver Police Foundation said they are not the organizers of the fundraiser, just the vehicle to accept donations on behalf of Dodge’s family.
Denver police officials did not immediately respond to inquiries Tuesday, but last week, a spokesperson told The Denver Post that, “At the request of the family, we are not providing updates on Sgt. Dodge’s recovery at this time.”
The donation website also lists an event called the GI and No-GI Seminar scheduled at the National Western Complex on Aug. 27 to help support Dodge’s recovery efforts.
“We cannot express how full our hearts are with the love, support, prayers and concern that has been shown to our family,” the Dodge family said in a message on the donation page. “Despite how trying the last several weeks have been, it is only when we think about this outpouring of concern that we have been overtaken and overwhelmed with emotion and gratefulness. While a thank you is not sufficient to repay your kindness, thank you, nonetheless.”
Denver Post staff writer Jon Murray contributed to this report.
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