There were many people who had a lot of great things to say after Ryan's tragic death, helping to show how great and brave he was as a person. Ryan's wife, Kayla Savard, his parents Marie and Garett Savard, both now of Lancaster, and his younger sister, Mariah, survive him.
"Raising Ryan was easy. He was a special soul that needed only to be told one time, and he understood," - Garett Savard
"Ryan was on a mission on patrol in an area that is hotly contested, and that is all the details that we have," -Garett Savard
"He became a great American and a warrior for freedom and liberty, and we will miss him every day," - Garett Savard
"Ryan was very funny; he could always make you laugh. He was a good athlete; I remember how annoyed he was the time his high school team jersey had his name misspelled 'Savaro,' instead of 'Savard,' I suppose because of his own poor handwriting. It makes me very sad to think of his death — a great loss." - Kate Richardson, a former classmate of Ryan.
"Ryan was very professional, and he clearly trained very hard. He was proud of what he was doing, and he loved the Army." - Bruce Hicks, Retired Navy Chief
"Ryan spent a lot of time at our house. He was a great young man with a great smile that just warmed you up. Ryan was high-spirited, but always considerate, respectful and polite, and we loved having him here. He went to church every Sunday. I think he knew he wanted to be in the Army, like his dad, from the time he was in 8th grade.” - Bruce Hicks, Retired Navy Chief
"Sgt. Ryan Savard was a hero who died fighting for our freedoms. My thoughts and prayers and those of my wife Susan are with his entire family at this time. This is a tremendous loss for our state and our nation. We must not forget that many brave men and women continue to sacrifice for us, and we must be there for them and their families." -Governor at the time of Ryan's death, John Lynch