Boston firefighters, family members urge committee to advance survivor benefits for Matt Troy amid occupational-cancer concerns

Boston firefighters, union representatives and a family member of the late Boston firefighter Matthew “Matt” Troy told the Joint Committee on Public Service that Troy’s widow remains ineligible for survivor benefits because of a technical timing issue in existing rules — and urged the committee to advance home-rule and statutory fixes.

An unnamed family member, appearing on behalf of Troy’s wife Rachel and the firefighter’s family, said Troy’s cancer diagnosis occurred four months short of the time threshold required to trigger presumptive occupational-cancer benefits, leaving his widow without the benefits the family would otherwise have received. “I respectfully ask the Commonwealth and his elected leadership, etch Matt’s name into law. Please give Matt the legacy he deserves and give his family the benefits that they have…