Man Told His Girlfriend He’d 'Always' Protect Her. He Spent His Final Moments Shielding Her from Crash

Mar. 15, 2025

In a crash report shared with PEOPLE, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed that the crash occurred on Friday, Jan. 17, around 3 p.m. local time on Highway 281 in Erath County.

Both Huey and Green died at the scene.

(L-R) Nicole Doggett and Jaelen Green.GoFundMe

GoFundMe

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Aliya Hoover, a friend who created aGoFundMeto help with Green’s funeral expenses, says that Doggett “told me that the accident happened very quickly.”

“She stated that Jaelen grabbed her leg really hard and then threw himself onto her in [an] effort to shield her,” Hoover adds. “Jaelen always told Nicole he would protect her and he did until he couldn’t anymore.”

As Hoover put it in a message on the fundraiser, “Jaelen’s bravery in those final moments speaks to the incredible person he was — always putting others before himself.”

Kai Ward, a roommate of Doggett, echoed the same sentiments during an interview with Fox affiliateKDFW.

“Nicole said the car actually lost so much control, they got hit from the back end of the car, and the driver side took all the impact,” Ward told the outlet. “Jae was driving. In his last moments, he tried to shield Nicole, and we think that’s probably what saved her.”

Hoover, who also set up aGoFundMefor Doggett’s medical expenses and recovery, tells PEOPLE her friend sustained serious injuries from the crash, including a broken leg, arm, ribs and a collapsed lung.

Fortunately, in a positive update, Hoover says that as of Thursday, Jan. 23, Doggett is out of the ICU and “doing much better.”

Although the days and months ahead “will be very hard on her,” Doggett’s loved ones are doing everything they can to be there for her.

Hoover adds, “All of her friends are very supportive and love her very much.”

source: people.com