Sunday marks the Winter Commencement for some 2,100 students graduating from UNC. Some have overcome more challenges than others.

Katie Savage is not your typical UNC graduate. When she was just 14 years old she was undergoing heart surgery, when complications caused a blood clot. That blood clot forced doctors to quickly amputate her leg. Katie says the moment waking up from surgery is forever embedded in her mind.

“I remember reaching out for my leg,” she says, “and when my hand eventually started hitting the bed, I just busted into tears. I will never forget that.”

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Being a 14 year old can be difficult enough, but being a 14 year old who unexpectedly lost a limb can be devastating. Katie says the feeling of isolation and missing out was hard to bear.

“I was normal,” she says. “You’re told you’re going to go to high school; you’re going to go to prom; you’re going to go off to college; you’re going to get married…

“For me, my reality was shattered. Everything changed.”

She adds that those were lonely years, feeling like the world was passing by.

“My biggest memory was looking out the window,” she recalls. “I looked at kids who I rode the bus with, and I would see them get up and go off to school; here I was at home.

“And eventually, those kids were driving to school, and I was still at home – looking out the window – just wishing to be normal.”

A long and winding road eventually led Katie back to Chapel Hill, this time as a student.

“My first association with Chapel Hill was an amputation,” she says. “That’s the cool part about, now, being on the other end of things. There’s a lot more joy and things that I have received from my experience at Chapel Hill, compared to having lost so much.”

While at Chapel Hill, in addition to her studies, Katie founded the first-ever organization specifically for students with disabilities. She calls it Advocates for Carolina. The mission was to be there for those who were dealing with issues that not everyone could comprehend.

“I don’t want for what happened to me, to ever happen to another young person. I just hope that people are able to get the support that they need.”

Katie says that remembering those times as a teenager looking out the window fueled her passion for helping others. “That was definitely the main reason behind this – to offer the community of students a place where people don’t feel alone.”

She realized quickly after starting the organization that this is the work that she was meant to do.

“Something I realized is that God can have a plan for us that is far bigger than we could have ever planned for ourselves.”

As far as the plans that she can control, Katie would love to continue her education as a Tar Heel.

“I would like to go to graduate school. Ideally, I would love to be at Carolina for graduate school.” She adds, “It’s very humbling to be in this position. I honestly never imagined that I would be graduating from the University of North Carolina. It’s just unreal.”

But for now, the best part about graduation for Katie is just that, graduation. This will be her first time taking part in a graduation ceremony.

“I’m just looking forward to graduating because this is my first graduation. I didn’t go to the graduation ceremony for high school or community college.” She describes the feeling, “Imagining it makes me feel really complete. I’m a bit nervous, but I’m really excited…I can’t stop smiling.”

Katie will receive her bachelor’s degree in political science from UNC on Sunday, walking across the stage just down the road from where she learned to walk again.

While speaking with Katie, she recalled hearing a story on WCHL one day in years past, when she was feeling particularly down, that inspired her. And now, she hopes to be the one to do the inspiring.

“I was thinking, ‘oh my goodness. Here I am all these years later, potentially giving hope to someone else.’ I’m truly honored and completely humbled right now.”