The tragic death of 32-year-old Lane Smith , a loving husband and father of two, has left his community heartbroken after he was killed in a devastating crash on Interstate 75 .
Lane had just finished work and was heading home when another driver lost control of their vehicle, slamming into his car at high speed. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, but Lane was pronounced dead before he could be saved.
His wife, Emily Smith , shared an emotional statement online that quickly went viral — not just because of the tragedy, but because of the final message she received from him just minutes before the accident.
It read:
“Be home in 20. Can’t wait to see you and the kids.”
That simple, everyday text is now the last message she has from the man she called her best friend.
“I didn’t even reply,” Emily wrote in a heartfelt post. “I wish I had said ‘I love you.’ I always meant to… I just never thought it would run out.”
Lane’s parents described him as the kind of person who lived for his family — coaching Little League, making pancakes every Sunday, and never missing a bedtime story.
“He was the kind of dad who made parenthood look easy,” one neighbor shared. “And the kind of husband everyone hopes to have.”
In the days following the crash, friends and strangers alike gathered outside the couple’s home to leave flowers, candles, and notes honoring Lane’s life.
A GoFundMe page set up by a close friend has already raised over $80,000 to support Emily and their children during this unimaginable time.
As investigators continue to piece together what happened, the loss remains deeply felt — especially by the two little ones who no longer have their hero.
Because sometimes, the most ordinary people leave behind the biggest legacies.
And sometimes, the smallest words mean the most — even when you don’t get the chance to say them.