A police officer has woken up from a coma after risking his life to save his wife.
The news was confirmed by the Anderson County Sheriff's Office (ACSO), where both Lucas Shoffner and his wife Nicole serve as reserve deputies.
Lucas had been in a medically induced coma after both he and Nicole were struck by a pickup truck while attempting to repair a small dirt bike on the side of the road in Tennessee.
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In a post shared on Facebook, the ACSO said: "Nicole suffered injuries, but Lucas took the brunt of the vehicle."
Adding to this, a GoFundMe launched by Aaron Shaffer to help support the couple through the difficult time said that Lucas 'saved Nicole's life by shoving her to the side' and that he 'took most of the vehicle strike', which occurred on August 1.
The page, which has raised more than $90,000 of its $100,000 goal, continued: "He was left unconscious on scene and subsequently taken to UT Trauma.
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"He’s currently in TICU and has been diagnosed with a brain bleed, a fractured skull, multiple facial fractures and has a blood clot in his main artery in his neck."
With such serious injuries from the collision, many feared Lucas might not make it. But those fears have been smashed as the deputy has since woken up.
In the update posted by the ACSO, they said that he is a 'fighter and continues to improve', while Nicole said that there's a 'long road ahead' to his recovery but that 'we got this'.
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There's also still a long road ahead for Nicole, as the GoFundMe organiser revealed that she was 'unable to stand without gruelling pain' and at the time she 'couldn't walk without assistance'.
"Despite that, she refuses to leave his side," added Aaron.
And despite being in pain herself, Nicole took a moment to share an update with the followers of the campaign while thanking everyone who had donated to the cause.
Speaking about the intentions behind the campaign, which you can donate to here, Aaron wrote: "Lucas will be out of work for an undetermined but certainly lengthy period of time.
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"Nicole is a reserve deputy, current member of the Air National Guard, and runs a phenomenal salon/beauty service, but is both unable, and unavailable to work as she is caring for Lucas.
"These funds will quite literally buy them the time they need to heal, the time they will need together as Lucas adjusts to whatever the 'new normal' might be, and will serve to alleviate one stressor as they face the challenges ahead."
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Daisy Phillipson