Deputy saves his wife by pushing her clear of an oncoming crash

Life can change without warning, and no one can know what an ordinary day might suddenly bring. One young couple discovered that on the side of a road when a vehicle sped directly toward them. Thinking in an instant, the husband shoved his wife away from danger and saved her life. He, however, was not nearly as fortunate.

Raymond Surber, 31, was off duty and driving his 2017 Chevrolet Silverado on August 1 when he struck the couple beside the roadway. Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Deputy Lucas Shoffner and his wife, Nicole, had stopped there to work on a dirt bike when Surber’s truck hit them.

The crash occurred at roughly 11:17 p.m. Both Lucas and Nicole were hurt, though Lucas suffered injuries that were far more severe.

Matt Fagiana of the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association told the public that Lucas had pushed Nicole aside. By shielding her, Lucas absorbed the greater impact. Fagiana said there was no doubt that the deputy’s courageous decision had saved his wife.

Fagiana urged everyone to pray for his friend, describing Lucas as a man worthy of another opportunity at life—kind, loyal, funny, and extraordinarily strong. He assured Lucas that friends and supporters would remain beside both him and Nicole throughout every stage of the ordeal.

Nicole was taken to Fort Sanders, where she underwent a head CT and X-rays. Lucas had sustained critical head trauma and was admitted to the Transplant Intensive Care Unit at UT Medical Center. Doctors placed him in a medically induced coma. They later began easing him off the paralytic medication, although he remained sedated.

Compared with her husband, Nicole’s wounds were minor. She stayed firmly at Lucas’s side and supported every part of his recovery. Friends organized a GoFundMe campaign to help the couple cover their medical bills. The fundraiser set a target of $100,000 and brought in more than $93,000.

Nicole expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed, offered help, or kept the couple in their prayers. The support surrounding them became part of the long and uncertain fight for Lucas’s recovery.

Then, after 23 days in the coma, Lucas finally opened his eyes. Doctors saw that he was beginning the road back, and reports said he would move to a rehabilitation center in Atlanta to continue healing.

Updates Nicole shared through her Instagram stories suggested that Lucas’s progress was continuing. At the rehabilitation facility, the ACSO deputy recently managed to walk 200 steps—a milestone Nicole deeply appreciated and many people close to them celebrated.

Lucas faced a life-threatening impact because he chose to push his wife out of the vehicle’s path and protect her. His instinctive act showed a truly selfless kind of love. Share Lucas Shoffner’s remarkable story with your friends and family.