AUSTIN, Texas -- The City of Austin dropped its lawsuit over workers compensation involving a firefighter with cancer.

On Tuesday, City Manager Spencer Cronk and City Council members agreed to drop the lawsuit, which the city filed against Carrie Stewart, an 18-year veteran with the Austin Fire Department.

In 2015, Stewart was diagnosed with breast cancer. Doctors determined her cancer was work-related, pointing to working 24-hour shifts as a firefighter, and the city was ordered to offer workers compensation in 2016.

However, the city disagreed and said her cancer did not entitle her to receive benefits, so it filed a lawsuit against Stewart in March 2017.

Council members like Delia Garza said they had no idea the city filed the lawsuit until Stewart recently brought it to their attention.

"Not only am I a former firefighter but I'm the daughter of a former firefighter, and I usually think if i had been in a similar situation where something like this would've happened to my father and how that would affect my family," Garza said.

Garza says during Tuesday's executive session meeting, all city council members decided to drop the suit.  

"It was very concerning that somebody, any public servant that works for us needs to be supported and not sued," she said.

Stewart says she is thrilled to no longer deal with this battle.

"It's a little overwhelming right now,” Stewart said. “I didn't really expect things to happen this quickly but I am really relieved that it's been dropped."

Stewart said the lawsuit felt like a betrayal from the city she's served. Her story recently went public and it didn't sit well with many.

"It just goes to show that all of the phone calls and emails provided by the folks in the community, it has made a difference in my life to have this lawsuit dropped," Stewart said. "It just feels good to go to work and continue serving as a firefighter in Austin."