Gabby, or Gabriella Dawson, is the wife of Matthew Casey, also part of the fire crew. She is a paramedic on Ambulance 61 and is assigned to Puerto Rico where she attends to the needs of victims there. She was also formerly part of the crew of Truck 81.
She is an exciting, dynamic, somewhat feisty character with moments of intensity and passion displayed by few on the show. Fans love her for her resilience and the energy she brings to the series. Here are 10 things about her fans might not know.
She's Quick to Anger
With a name like Gabriela, it's hard to imagine Gabby Dawson has a violent temper. However, the dazzling characters shows time and time again that she is not to be messed with.
She often loses her temper on the show, and this behavior gets her in trouble with the powers that be at the station. Still, she manages to duck and dive consequences of her temper, and this feistiness is possibly something viewers love most about her.
Failure, First Time Around
Viewers probably didn't know that the determined Gabby almost didn't get into the Chicago Fire Academy. This is because when she did the physical agility test, she initially failed due to a weakened performance caused by an unexpected sprained ankle.
This injured ankle caused her physical performance test results, which were timed and monitored, to suffer by several crucial seconds. However, she eventually had a chance to retake the test thanks to Matthew Casey, passing the second time around. That's a good thing since the academy wouldn't be quite the same without her.
Well Established In The Community
Gabby is well established in the community she serves. She is the sister of Antonio Dawson of the Chicago PD Intelligence Unit and also co-owns a bar in the area, called Molly's. This she owns together with Oris, Leslie Shay, and Christopher Herrmann. The bar was initially sought after by Christopher after he saved the previous owner from a fire on the premises. He then sought co-owners, and Gabby was one of these.
She Has a Big Heart
Gabby and Matthew Casey foster a child Louie. They love him dearly, and part of the motivation behind their marriage is to win favor with adoption agencies so that the adoption of the child can go through.
However, soon after the adoption process has begun, Louie's father Andre shows up and contends with them for custody of the boy. While both sides get lawyers to represent them, Gabby eventually yields, saying that she could never live with herself separating Louie from his real family. This decision to give in for the child's best interests shows she has a good heart and character.
She's a Good Friend
Gabby is good friends with her colleague Leslie Shay. The two are such good friends that they are even referred to as Shawson, which is a combination of their names. They form a united front on the job and support each other through the tough times.
Their friendship is threatened in Season 2 when Gabby blames Leslie for circumstances around a traumatic case. However, it is rekindled later on in the series when Gabby spirals into depression and tracks down her old friend for support. Sadly, Leslie dies later in the series.
She Loves a Good Meal
Gabby loves to cook. This is demonstrated time and time again during the series but is most evident in her relationship with Peter Mills. The two realise they both love to cook and start to join forces for home-cooked meals, initially as friends. Their relationship over the stove develops into something more and they eventually start a secret relationship. It must be said, if it wasn't for their passion for cooking, the whole thing might never have started.
A Dislike For Dishonesty
With that fiery personality, which woman would want to be on Gabby Dawson's 'wrong' side? This is exactly what happens to Rebecca Jones, whom Gabby meets at the Chicago Fire Academy. Gabby catches her cheating on an exam and immediately dislikes her. Later in the series, Gabby learns more information about Rebecca and the two become firm friends.
Guilt Over Leslie's Death
Gabby lives with the guilt associated with her close friend Leslie Shay's death. She dies in an explosion on duty. It is later revealed by Gabby that she suggested to Leslie the two swapped places so that Leslie could get experience in her position. In Gabby's thinking, it should have been her who had died and not her friend. This guilt continues to consume her and she seeks therapy for Leslie's unanticipated death.
She Dreams of Being a Mom
Gabby dreams of having children but seems to have no luck in this area. She and Matthew Casey attempt to adopt a boy named Louie. However, when Louie's father returns for the child, she decided he will be better off with his natural dad. The two continue to try to have a baby, but, sadly, the development of an aneurysm in Gabby's brain puts her at risk for death during pregnancy and childbirth. She is willing to take the risk by Matthew isn't.
She Has A No-Nonsense Approach To Life
One of Gabby's best quotes was when saving a life put her at animosity with the law and she retorted that if saving a life was a criminal offense, the protocol of the police was out of the whack and new rules needed to be made. A good point put across in her typical no-nonsense way. Another time she asked Chief Hatcher specifically which information he wanted her to give to him concerning an incident. She asked him if he wanted her to recall whether she had kicked the 'belligerent jack ass' with one foot or two?