Sep 14, 2026
Drew Stokes Coast Guard Veterans and Retired US
Customs and Border Protection Officer.
On September 26, 2017, Drew Stokes was ambushed in
a sudden, violent attack while walking out of a Publix grocery
store just outside Jacksonville, Florida. From start to finish, the
entire attack lasted approximately five seconds.
Drew was shot five times once in the center of his
torso, once in his right buttock, once in each hip/leg, and once in
his left forearm. His injuries were catastrophic. One bullet
lacerated his liver, another compromised his colon, and three
bullets remain in his body today one in each hip and another near
his spine.
For several days, Drew wavered between life and
death, crossing to the other side twice. He completely bled out and
required 78 pints of blood to keep him alive.
His survival was made possible by the heroic
actions of bystanders, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Clay
County Fire Rescue, and the trauma staff at Orange Park Medical
Center. Drew credits them with saving his life.
What followed was an extraordinary road to
recovery. Through relentless hard work, an incredible
rehabilitation team, and tremendous support from his family,
friends, coworkers, and people across the country, Drew fought his
way back.
On January 2, 2018, just over three months after
the shooting, he returned to light duty. After undergoing eleven
surgeries, Drew returned to full duty on April 9, 2018. By June
2018, he had returned to the sky.