Badass of the Week: Matthew Whitt

Matthew Whitt is a Texas native who promptly enlisted in the US Marine Corps after graduating high school in 1997. After an 8-year hitch in the Marines, he worked as a cowboy throughout the western United States. He then attended Kilgore College and graduated with a degree in emergency medical services.  He has worked in both Level I and Level II ER’s, and with ambulances in Dallas, Tyler, and Kendall County. With some trauma experience, he became a flight medic with Air Evac Life team and completed his Flight Paramedic and Critical Care certifications.

Matthew’s love for biology and medicine gave him the most exciting career he could have imagined. This does come with sadness and grief, especially with patients who are children. Regardless, he learned not to let the grief interfere with his performance or dedication to the job.

His efforts concentrate on EMT advocacy and education, paramedics, and the patients he serves. Matthew shares many concerns about the future of healthcare in the US and spends a lot of time lobbying.  He is the president and founder of the Association of Texas EMS Professionals and sits on the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Advisory Board.  He works to address everything from rural hospital closures to increased demands on out-of-hospital care, given the shortage of physicians and low reimbursement rates from insurance providers/Medicare.  Matthew would always say, “Somebody ought to do something,” until he realized that somebody was him.

Matthew is married to the most beautiful soul he has ever met, Natalee.  They have two boys, Simeon Lee and Asa Loyd.  The three of them are the light of his life and the reason for everything he does.