Cop Ends up in Coma after Saving Wife’s Life — She Prays for Him for 23 Days until He Wakes Up

In August 2022, Lucas Shoffner and his wife, Nicole Shoffner, were fixing a small dirtbike's chain by the road. It was a regular day, and the two police officers were enjoying their time off-duty when a pickup truck barreled into them, leaving both seriously injured.

Lucas Shoffner and his wife Nicole Shoffner, two reserve deputies with Anderson County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee, were enjoying their day off and spending some quality time together on August 1, 2022. They took a break from their daily activities to repair the chain on a dirtbike when their day took a tragic turn.

While the two deputies were fixing the dirtbike by the roadside, 31-year-old Raymond Surber, a deputy with the Campbell County Sheriff's Office, barreled into the pair at high speed in his 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The Tennesee Highway Patrol reported that the incident took place around 11:17 p.m.

With the pickup truck heading straight for them, Lucas acted quickly. He shoved Nicole out of the way and bore the full force of the incoming vehicle, resulting in tremendous injuries. Luckily, Nicole mostly fell out of the truck's path in the nick of time, although she did end up with a fractured hip.

After being in the hospital for six days, the doctors performed a craniotomy on Lucas.

Lucas, on the other hand, suffered numerous injuries. He was rushed to the University of Tennessee's Trauma Intensive Care Unit, where the medical staff diagnosed him with a hemorrhage, a fractured skull, multiple fractures, and a blood clot in his main artery. Matt Fagiana, a friend and former co-worker, noted:

"Let's start praying for our buddy. If anyone is deserving of a second chance at life, it's this guy. He's kind, he's loyal, he's funny and he's as strong as a damn ox. You got this Lucas and we are behind you and Nicole every step of the way."

Lucas, who fell into a coma shortly after the incident, sustained severe damage and was clinging to life in the ICU. Nicole, Lucas's co-workers, and the rest of his family had no idea whether he would pull through.

A Long Road to Recovery

After being in the hospital for six days, the doctors performed a craniotomy on Lucas. The very next day, Nicole posted a video on YouTube updating everyone on Lucas' recovery. In the video, Nicole sat in a wheelchair, obviously still in pain from her fractured hip.

The image showed the day Lucas was released from the ICU, with him on a gurney and Nicole leaning in happily for a kiss.

Nicole, her family, and Lucas's relatives had no idea whether the deputy would wake up anytime soon and had to hope for the best. They created a GoFundMe page to help cover the hospital bills and to support Nicole and Lucas while they couldn't work. Although Nicole walked away with fewer injuries, she still couldn't stand on her feet.

Despite her injured hip, Nicole devoted all her time to caring for and supporting Lucas while he fought for his life in the hospital. She refused to leave her husband's bedside, spending her time watching over him and praying for a swift recovery. The GoFundMe also asked others to pray for Lucas.

In the video Nicole released, she also thanked everyone for donating to the fundraiser and for the vast amount of prayers and well-wishes that flooded her social media page. She also noted that things were looking good for Lucas after the craniotomy, and she was hopeful for his complete recovery. She revealed:

"He's been pretty stable ever since [the craniotomy]. We had a couple spikes today, um, but it's looking pretty positive if he can get through the next 48 hours."

After spending 40 days in the ICU and several days in a coma, Lucas finally woke up. Nicole was overjoyed to see her husband once more, responding to her voice, and she could finally take him home. "After 40 long days in the ICU, today we start our chapter of healing," she said.

Lucas and Nicole's Life after the Accident

With Lucas out of the ICU and Nicole's hip on the mend, the couple started to get back to their regular lives. In September 2022, Nicole made an Instagram post to commemorate the last month of their lives and celebrate the fact that her husband made it out of his coma, surviving seemingly unbeatable odds. She wrote:

"This wouldn't be possible without the thousands of people praying for Lucas. God gave us strength and endurance for this fight baby, we got this."

The image showed the day Lucas was released from the ICU, with him on a gurney and Nicole leaning in happily for a kiss. A hospital and an ambulance could be seen in the background, and medical staff were waiting to wheel Lucas into the vehicle. The couple celebrated their anniversary in April, and Nicole posted:

"To the year that broke us, rebuilt us into something even stronger. I didn't know if I would get this anniversary, all I could think was last year we didn't even get to spend it together since we were both on military orders."

She continued, writing that they had spent six years as a couple and faced many obstacles together. She also thanked Lucas for the endless love he gives her and gushed, "Happy anniversary babe, to many many more." Along with the caption, Nicole posted a sweet video montage of them over the years.

The video was set to Morgan Wallen's song "Outlook" and showed a number of moments Lucas and Nicole have shared over the years. Some of the shots showed them enjoying scenic locations, drinking wine, hanging out in a bar, and celebrating each other's birthdays together.

Thanks to the GoFundMe page, Nicole and Lucas had close to $100,000 to support them after the accident and pay their medical bills. Following Lucas's release from the hospital, the couple seems to be focusing on recovery and getting their life back on track. Nicole swore lovingly, "I will cherish you everyday until my last breath."

Want more like this? Click here to read about a paralyzed bride who brought tears to her husband's eyes when she walked down the aisle.