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Friday, March 29, 2024

Determination after diagnosis, New Town head coach in the fight of his life

Credit: ABC 2 News WMAR
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Determination after diagnosis, New Town head coach in the fight of his life
Determination after diagnosis, New Town head coach in the fight of his life

“Until the Lord calls me home.

Until my job is done.

When my task is done here on earth and the Lord calls me home then I’ll go.

But until then I’m going to be around.”

THOSE SHARING IN HIS PAIN.Football has always been atthe center of Mike Savagelife.

Wins and losses on thefield scattered throughout hisyears as a player and coach.Now he has a new opponent.ItWith a guiding hand.

And abooming voice.

Head Coach MikeSavage commands an offseasonworkout for his New Town HighSchool Titans.

But before toolong that powerful grip andencouraging dialogue will begone.

Mike Savage: My rightarm is weak.

My right hand isnot as active as my left.

Itchallenging at times.

Hefeeling the symptoms of ALS.The 4━yea━old was diagnosedlast summer.

Stepner: When thedoctor says that he thinksthat you have ALS, what goesthrough your mind?

MikeSavage: Not me.

Not MikeSavage.

No, you have itmisdiagnosed.

He told his foursons first.

Joshua Savage,MikeDefinitely.

It hit meinstantly.

I actually brokedown and cried.

But kept itsecret until an exchange withhis brother and cousin duringpractice in the fall.

Both areassistants on his staff.Savage: I was in practice andI was kind of zoned out.

Likeam I going to see this fieldagain next year?

Thatwas kind of down.

The practicewas kind of wild that day.They looked at me like,’Whenare you going to fix itjust said I donme.

I donThey was like,’Whatwith youup the steps I told my cousinand my brother,’Man, Idyingneuromuscular disease.

Thereno cure.

Savage: My brotherimmediately started crying andmy cousin just put his headdown and said,’Hey man, whatdo you meangot diagnosed with ALS.

Thedisease eventually paralyzesits victims, who lose theability to walk, speak,swallow and breathe.

Savage: Iwas broke at that point.

I wasat my lowest.

I just couldnbelieve what was happening tome.

I felt like what I hadalways worked hard to do wasto become a head coach andbecome a powerful head coachin the county and in state.

Mydream finally came true.

I gotan opportunity to help kidsand get kids to college andnow itshort.

I just couldnunderstand it.

I was like’Why mehelped, hundreds of them overthe years, have his back.Elijah Lawrence, New TownSenior: I look at him as afather figure more than acoach.

Hedamn father than my ownfather.

I aiya.

Coach Savagehits hard for Titans seniorElijah Lawrence.

Savage hasbeen at Elijahhis mom battles stage 3 braincancer.

Lawrence: Like healways says,’Be strongImother, I know damn sure wellI can be strong for my coach.Be strong.

ThatThe former college linebacker.The former military man.

Thecurrent head coach and mentorliving with one of the worldmost devastating illnesses.Savage: I always tell them nomatter what, in life you gotto find a way to win.

Nomatter what the circumstanceis just find a way to win.Theredowns.

Theretriumphs and disappointmentsand things like that.

You justgot to keep going.

Thatwhat he intends to do.

With aguiding hand, a booming voiceand an inspiringdetermination.

Savage: Igoing to walk on that field orIway or the other.

Ifootball coach.

Stepner: Howlong do you plan on coachingand working?

Savage: Until theLord calls me home.

Until myjob is done.

When my task isdone here on Earth and theLord calls me home then Igo.

But until then Ito be around.

Stepner: Coachuntil you die?

Savage: Yep.Until I die.

Yep.

Savage tellsme hehis time between his threejobs and his ━t━4 doctorsappointments per week.

In histwo years as New Town HeadCoach hebac━t━ back state semifinalappearances.

Heanother good shot at thatstate title in 202THAT WAS SHAWN STEPNERREPORTING.

WE HAVE MUCH MOREON SAVAGE'S STORY ON

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