Lauren Ray

Hi friends,

As most of you are aware by now, the Ray family is needing our help. Lauren & her father, Kevin, were traveling home from a football game in Troy, AL when a drunk driver hit them, immediately taking Kevin from us & leaving Lauren fighting for her life. Further details are below in the message from Rhonda, Lauren's mother, about the incident.

Many have reached out asking how you can help, so after approving this with Rhonda, we have decided to start a Gofundme to help with any expenses that may (and no doubt will) come up as Lauren continues this fight. Any gifts given will be used to pay for what insurance doesn't cover and in the off-chance there is any additional money raised, it will go towards Lauren's college fund OR the Ronald McDonald House.

The doctors have informed the family that Lauren will be set back as far as her education goes at least a year if not more, so any money we raise can also help her with furthering her education after the most important part of the healing process is finished.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is available for any questions regarding how you can help as well as myself (or of course, Rhonda if she is available during this time)..

thank you, so much. please continue to pray for this family, for Lauren's healing, for the Ray family (and friends) as we all mourn the passing of Master Deputy Kevin Ray, who was loved by his community and served his time protecting those here in the most selfless of ways.

below is the latest update from Rhonda as of 6pm 10/17/22:

"Dear friends and family,

Thank you so much for the outpouring of support for Lauren and her dad during this difficult time.

We are truly blessed and humbled by all of the texts, messages, phone calls and visits we have received in the past few days.

For those who don’t know, I will share a few details of what happened and Lauren’s current status without revealing to much information out of respect for her privacy:

On Saturday night around midnight I received a knock on the door no mother should ever have to get. Awakened from my sleep, I was horrified to walk to my front door only to see a flashlight shining in my window and a uniformed Florida Highway Patrol officer and Escambia County Sheriff’s staff member standing at my door. I knew the news would not be something I wanted to hear. I was told that Kevin and Lauren had been in an accident near the Okaloosa/Walton County line and that Kevin had died at the scene and Lauren had been flown to the Ft. Walton Beach Medical Center Emergency Department. She is currently in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UF Shands in Gainesville and the next 24-36 hours will be critical.

There are so many people I want to thank.

Thank you to the witnesses and first responders who arrived first on scene. While I don’t know all of the details nor do I want to right now (that will all come out in time) from what I have been told it was a very difficult thing to witness.

Thank you to the Florida Highway Patrol and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for your support and professionalism from the very start. Specifically I want to thank Col. Jeremy Small for transporting me to my daughter and keeping me calm all the while not knowing what we would find once we arrived. I also want to thank Col. Dawn Janes for standing vigil along with Col. Small for the 5 hours it took to get Lauren stabilized to airlift to Shands. As if that’s not enough Col. Small even ensured Lauren’s three cats were fed and taken care of until a permanent pet-sitter could be found. Thanks also to FHP Sgt. Ron Livingston and FHP Traffic Homicide Investigator along with the many other FHP officers who put the pieces together to ensure justice will be served.

Thank you to the trauma team at the Ft. Walton Beach Medical Center Emergency Room for getting my girl stabilized enough for transport to Shands. Thank you to the flight crew who got her safely here. I did not know this until today but I have been told that the helicopter had to make a stop along the way to pick up additional units of blood for her. And I cannot say enough positive things about the entire team of doctors (and there are a LOT of them) here at Shands who have been working around the clock nonstop to give Lauren what I know will be the best possible outcome.

Thanks also to the various groups that have stepped up to show their support: The Escambia County (FL) Sheriffs Office and Sheriff Chip Simmons, Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Heath Jackson, the Florida Sheriffs Association, Florida Crime Prevention Association, University of Florida Police Department, Hillcrest Church, Heritage Church, North Brewton Baptist Church, Royally Fierce Equestrian Team, L Pond Fishing and Recreation Club, and Pensacola Christian Academy.

And many thanks to all of the individuals who have shown their support in big and small ways from near and far. There are way too many to name and I don’t want to leave anyone out, but you know who you are. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. From feeding cats, to getting my mom here, to bringing us food, to screening and responding to the many messages and texts while I attempt to get some rest - you know who you are. We have tried to respond to most everyone’s messages but if I did not or if I do not in the future please know that each and every one is heard/read and very much appreciated.

Most importantly I want to thank God for all He has done and continues to do each and every day. I’ve seen more miracles in the past few days than I can count and they just keep coming. Looking back now I know He has been working in my life and in the lives of others for longer than anyone will ever know to prepare us for this very moment in time. One day Lauren is going to have one incredible testimony to share about the goodness of God even in times of trouble. She’s got a long road ahead of her but I know she is going to come through with her mind, body and faith only made stronger through this situation.

I won’t go into specifics about her injuries, only to say that it is one step forward and two steps back at this point. She’s a fighter and although the medical staff are keeping her heavily sedated so she can rest and heal, she has shown no indication of giving up. I don’t think the word “quit” exists in her vocabulary, and her determination is more evident now than ever. She did have a second surgery earlier today and is scheduled to have a third one tomorrow, and we are all encouraged by the fact that she is stable enough for surgery and seems to handle them as well as could be expected. For the medical staff it’s all just a balancing act to see what works and what doesn’t.

For those who have been asking what you can do, I’m including an address for her hospital room. Visitors are not allowed, however, cards and letters are welcome. I am sure she would love to see cards and letters on her wall when she wakes up. Flowers and latex balloons are not allowed in the PICU, but if anyone wants to send gifts such as stuffed animals or other items, there is a gift shop at the hospital. They will not recognize her as Lauren Ray at the hospital so if you want to send something tell them she is listed as “Transfer Omaha” in PICU Room 415. I am also including the address:

Lauren Ray

c/o Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Room 10415

UF Shands Children's Hospital

1600 SW Archer Rd

Gainesville FL. 32610

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We feel them and appreciate them more than you know.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"