Two Unicoi County Deputies to be Honored for Saving Bo Ray’s Life

Two Unicoi County (TN) Sheriff Deputies will be awarded the life-saving certificate and plaque for saving Bo Ray’s life.

Bo Ray, age 42, a lifelong Chattooga County Georgia resident, was traveling through Unicoi County, Tennessee, on July 19th on Highway 81 when he suffered a heart attack. He was driving a Dodge dually pulling a gooseneck trailer with a truck he had just bought on it when Ray told his wife he was feeling funny well and went unconscious.

The truck veered to the left, drifting off towards a steep embankment. Ray’s wife, Amy, grabbed the steering wheel and stopped the truck and trailer by running off the highway on the other side into a rocky embankment.

Amy called 911, telling the dispatcher, “Something is wrong with my husband.”

When Corporal Jonathon Williams and Deputy Sheriff Anthony Buckner, who is also a paramedic, arrived on the scene, Ray was unconscious and did not have a pulse.

They immediately went to work doing CPR and rendering aid. While it was not looking good for Ray, they did not give up, and for a long time, the duo fought to save Ray’s life.

And finally, they got a pulse.

Williams and Buckner were paramount in Ray’s survival and will be recognized with the Unicoi Sheriff’s Office’s Life-Saving Award.

Unicoi County (TN) Sheriff Mike Hensley told AllOnGeorgia, “I am very proud and blessed to have Jonathan Williams and Anthony Buckner working for me, as well as for the citizens of Unicoi County. I believe in providing the best training for all my employees, and this incident reflected in their training.”

“Officer Williams immediately informed me upon the successful attempt to save this man’s life by performing CPR,” Sheriff Hensley said. “When we have an incident where officers save an individual’s life by actions they take, they will awarded a life-saving certificate and plaque.”

The recognitions will be awarded in the near future. When the date is set, the Sheriff’s Office will notify the family to be present when the award is presented. Also, they are giving Ray time to recover so he and his family can be present if they wish to attend the ceremony.

“I have directly spoken to his family, and he is on the road to recovery. We will continue to pray for him,” Hensley said.

In addition to the certificate and plaque, Williams and Buckner will receive a life-saving ribbon to be worn daily on their uniform.

Ray is employed at Godfrey’s Tree Service. He is a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, and friend. His family said he still has a long recovery, and they ask for continued prayers.