From Starkville to West Point Military Academy to deployment in Afghanistan, Captain Matt Savage ’13 never thought he would end up moving back to his hometown. But a motorcycle crash in 2018 changed everything for the former sharpshooter.
“I would have never thought that the human body could have lived through what mine went through,” he said. The body that was in a coma. And then I woke up.” Now retired, Savage may be a civilian, but the Army Ranger veteran is still finding ways to serve his country.
“There’s no giving up,” he said, describing the mindset that fueled his incredible recovery and continues to motivate him. “There’s no giving up on a flight and you have to be very dedicated to that and just keep fighting every single day.” Nowadays, he’s traded his rifle in for a hammer. “I’m the official rank of ‘Mr.’ instead of ‘Captain.’,” he said with a smile.
Savage partnered with Starkville’s Habitat for Humanity and Mississippi State to help build the 2020 Maroon Edition House for a local family in need. Monday, they held a ceremony to welcome the new family and dedicate the house in Savage’s honor. Read more.