Our beloved son, brother, friend, and colleague Matt DeVries (41) was involved in a car wreck south of Missoula Montana, likely the night of February 17th, 2026. A good Samaritan called in a rolled car leading to Matt being extricated by a rescue team after 45 minutes, then moved to ICU care at St. Patrick’s. Since it’s not like Matt to be out that late, he might have been trapped in the car for an indeterminate amount of time. The cause of the accident is unclear, but narrow winding Montana mountain roads likely had a role to play.
Matt’s injuries include fractures in 5 of his thoracic vertebrae, three fractured ribs on the left side and two on the right, a cracked sternum, and most concerning, a traumatic brain injury (diffuse axonal damage). He’s experienced challenges in breathing that resulted in intubation for several days, then the insertion of a tracheotomy, through which he has been breathing independently for the last 24 hours. Matt was immediately put in a back brace and cervical collar to immobilize the issues the injuries; the braces have made breathing more difficult. He has remained in the ICU since arriving and has not yet been conscious, though he was able to inform hospital staff of his name and emergency contact upon arrival and twice said the year is 2026. He seems to be improving slowly day by day, has moved all limbs independently, and obey neurological exam commands intermittently but the overall recovery process from these types of injuries can take roughly a year.
Matt is well loved by friends and colleagues alike. He was in his last semester at the University of Montana finishing up a master’s degree in Anthropology with a specialization in Archaeology. Going into the field work made Matt light up with excitement and he had been talking about continuing work in the Montana mountains. He had been hard at work on his senior thesis and that day had told a friend he was going hiking so he could clear his mind. At the bottom of this story, we included descriptions of Matt’s promise in the field from his advisor at the University of Montana and archaeological colleague.
Matt is a dear friend to many, sharing his love of nature, music, and baseball. He loved evenings playing guitar, going kayaking and rockhounding on the Yellowstone River, following his Pirate’s baseball team, and spending time having thoughtful conversations. All of the DeVries children grew up overseas while their father worked for CARE Relief and Development. The family lived in Sudan, Egypt, Tanzania; Matt and his sister Liz graduated from the American International School of Dhaka (Bangladesh). Matt’s friend circle is far, wide, and international. At the bottom of this story, we included some thoughts from his close friends.
This story has one more twist! At the time of the accident, Matt’s sister was currently pregnant with twins so Matt & his brother Jake had several lighthearted debates about who was going to be the best uncle. Liz delivered a week after the accident - 2 months early, at 31 weeks. Thankfully Liz and the twins are doing well, but the double emergencies have left the family reeling and spread out to support both brother and sister.
As we were writing this part of the story, on March 1st, 2026, we received a text from Matt’s dad. HE HAD WOKEN UP!!! He was looking at Mike, nodding his head yes or no (though not very far due to the cervical collar, trach & brace). When I (mom) called crying & dad held the phone up to Matt – he started crying too.
The current plan is for Matt to be transported early in March, 2026, to a long-term advanced care facility in Billings, Montana. The facility specializes in weaning patients off ventilators along with PT programs to help brain trauma patients regain their talents & memories. His student insurance will run out at some point; he might be in this facility for up to a year & might need further rehab. At this point, it’s unclear the exact timeline for Matt’s care so this is why we are requesting donations for his care. Research and his current neurology research as well as his neurology team suggests that he can make a strong recovery but it will be a long road. We understand that this is a hard time economically for everyone, but even a little bit will help tremendously. We also hope to use this as a central platform to make weekly updates on Matt’s health status, so you can also be kept in the loop about his progress. The donations we receive will ONLY be used for his care and well-being.
We deeply appreciate you taking the time to read our story and any contributions you make towards Matt’s healing journey.
From his advisor: Dr. Doug MacDonald; Professor of Anthropology; U of M: Field of Study is N. American Prehistoric Archaeology/Cultural Resource Mgmt/Yellowstone Park.
“Matt DeVries is an excellent archaeologist with a knack for finding exciting artifacts. His research on Native American stone tool use in the Bridger Mountains will be groundbreaking. We really enjoyed having him on our U of M archaeology team in Yellowstone Park & hope he recovers to join us in 2026.”
From his mentors and colleagues: Scott and Sari Dersam (Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute, alpineresearch.org)
“Matt DeVries is part of the Montana Archaeology family, and for anyone who knows him, he is larger than life & impossible to fit or be bound by words. His archaeological expertise is evident in his passion for & all-consuming hobby of high-elevation archaeology and lithic materials.
We were lucky when Matt found his way to the Alpine Ecosystems Research Institute in 2022 for our annual field project in the Beartooth Mountains. Over those 15 days, Matt added us to his long list of friends, and we added him to the AERI family. He has been an active student researcher since 2023, teaching, researching, and bringing endless humor and insight to any project he's on. Matt was with us when the first Clovis site in the high elevations of Montana was discovered. He has a better eye for finding artifacts than anyone has a right to, but his joy for his discoveries makes it impossible to wish you had found it instead.
Matt has addicted every crew of archaeological volunteers AERI has had since 2022 to a card game, at which he thoroughly beats us every time. He has impeccable taste in food and music and is always able to talk at least two members of the crew into walking 10 miles to grab a burger during a light day in the field. He is a wonderful student, a better friend than most deserve, & an aspiring archaeologist who will add much to our knowledge of Montana's deep past throughout his life. The AERI family hopes Matt makes a full & speedy recovery so we can get him back where he belongs, in the mountains of Montana, for years to come.”
From colleague Emma Raguskus:
“I've had the privilege of working with Matt on Canon Heritage archaeology projects for a few years now, along with Scott & Sari Dersam. One of my favorite things about Matt is his unfailing good humor. Whether we're scrambling over rocky slopes or toughing it out on an excavation in the desert with 105-degree heat, he can always be relied upon to bring levity and fun to a situation. After one particularly brutal day, we all sat around a table on a sand dune while Matt and another of our coworkers taught us how to play Dungeons & Dragons. It's truly some of the most fun I've had on a project. He's quick with a laugh and a word of encouragement, and I always look forward to being on projects with him. I know it doesn't mean much in the face of everything that's going on, but I'm thinking of him and of your family and hoping for his speedy recovery."
“Matt is a dear friend of ours for a long time! He was the best man at our wedding and we’ve enjoyed many years of shared times playing games, going kayaking, enjoying music, and spending time in nature-often while enjoying some cheese. Anyone whose met Matt knows his love of cheese! We look forward to supporting him in his journey towards health.” -Brenda and Jon Stephani
“Smart, funny, kind, and always ready for an adventure—that is the Matt we know and love. For nearly a decade, he has been my dear friend and trusted confidant, the kind of person whose quick wit and ready smile turn every stranger into a friend.
Some of my favorite memories are the hours spent rock hounding, cutting stones, hiking and skiing. Matt has a gift for seeing the potential in a rough stone and the best in the people he meets. He is a true adventurer at heart and we are all standing with him as he faces this next, most difficult journey.” -Dale