Update 05/2020

What I have been doing to stay busy during quarantine has been doing a lot of PT, reading and educating myself on new subjects, doing some maintenance and addition work around the house, and been out riding my Honda Talon a lot.

The high for me has been having the time to do a lot of self-reflecting and working on myself. Learning to stay patient and find new alternative things to do. The low for me has to be for sure that no sports are going on to follow.

I’m really looking forward to seeing sports back on tv. As well as Being able to have regular group gatherings again.

Earlier this month on January 14, 2019, Blake Savage crashed while riding at a private supercross track in Mesquite, Nevada, sustaining a cervical spinal cord injury due to fractures to his C6 and C7 vertebra. Savage was immediately transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah, where his injuries were assessed and a surgical plan was quickly put into place. On Tuesday, January 15, Savage underwent successful surgery, where doctors completed a C5 to T1 posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion, which addressed the fractures and stabilized the spine.

As a result of his injuries, Savage has no mobility from his mid-chest down to his lower extremities but does have upper body movement with some limitations. He has been admitted into the in-patient rehabilitation program at Dixie Regional Medical Center, where he is working with therapists daily on core-strength, trunk control and pelvis movement. Savage is expected to be released in 2-3 weeks to begin the long and extensive out-patient rehabilitation program.

At the time of his injury, Savage had an insurance policy called a “Hospital Indemnity”. While he is covered to an extent, this policy has a max yearly payout of roughly $47,000, which will likely be absorbed with the first surgical bill. His extensive hospital stay, in-patient and out-patient rehabilitation and additional wide-ranging medical needs are not covered.

Road 2 Recovery has started a R2R Fund where you can make a tax-deductible donation towards his cause here. All funds raised will go towards Savage’s recovery and help alleviate his mounting medical bills. If you’re unable to support financially, please help by sharing his page. You can also leave a positive message for him and his family to read below.

Road 2 Recovery, along with some amazing partners will also be planning a “Cycling for Savage” event, which will take place in the coming months. More details will be released on his R2R Fund page, Road2Recovery.com and R2R’s social media pages.

Savage remains positive in his recovery and has a great support system around him. He is tackling this challenge like the true athlete his is, keeping high spirits and a strong drive to achieve his next goals.