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Moose on the loose: Brother's memory, Michigan pledge carry Matt Ludwig into final season at Billings West

Matt Ludwig
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BILLINGS — "Don't let the hard days win."

That was a rallying cry that swelled around Nick Ludwig as he scrapped and fought and battled against a debilitating heart condition that eventually took his life at the way-too-young age of 12.

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Moose on the loose: Brother's memory, Michigan pledge carry Matt Ludwig into final season at Billings West

It has since become a mantra for Nick's big brother Matt Ludwig — better known by the moniker "Moose" — while carrying the burdens of grief and promise as a can't-miss football prodigy at Billings West.

And when Matt committed in May to play college football at the University of Michigan beginning in 2026, it served as fulfillment of just one dream he and his brother shared.

Matt Ludwig
Billings West tight end Matt Ludwig.

"It meant the world to me to be able to say, 'Hey Nick, we made it. We're going big,'" Moose told MTN Sports.

Nick Ludwig — they called him "Nicko" — was Moose's biggest fan and supporter. But Moose also gave himself entirely to Nicko, who was diagnosed with severe congenital heart defects at 26 weeks while he was still growing inside his mother Tessa.

Nicko was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, an affliction that left Nicko with just two heart chambers rather than four that required multiple surgeries.

Sports were a passion for Nicko. And though he competed growing up, there were limitations. But he never let the hard days win, even when they were especially difficult.

Moose, along with their sister Alivia, was a protector and hero to Nicko — playing sports with him when he had the strength and carrying him in his arms when he didn't.

Matt Ludwig
Matt Ludwig carries his brother Nick, who was struggling with energy to walk because of a heart condition. 

"I look back at (those moments) every day. It's what keeps me going," Moose said. "It keeps me doing my job and what I need to do.

"I remember going in the back yard playing tackle football, even though we really weren't supposed to. There were moments when his face would get ghostly white and his lips very, very purple and blue, and you're like, 'Dude, alright, we've got to go watch TV or something.' But those moments were something that we really bonded over."

In turn Nicko looked at Moose like his champion, perhaps even more as it became evident that Moose might become a star on the gridiron.

And Moose's potential was evident early on.

When he was born, his sheer size made his grandfather comment, "He's a moose," and the name stuck like glue. Moose now says he doesn't know anyone that calls him by his given name.

Matt Ludwig
Matt Ludwig, left, is pictured with his dad Matthew and his younger brother Nick.

His father, Matt Sr., was a strength and conditioning coach at the University of Washington (among other stops), and Moose got an up-close look at big-time college football from an early age.

It later became Moose's dream to play at the highest level, and with his father's connections and understanding of what it takes, Moose was able to tour the facilities of several major programs and obtain a feel for life at the top tier — well before the recruiting letters began pouring in.

Matt Sr. reflected on the impact those early years had on Moose.

"As a young boy, that standard got set very high," he said. "As a dad and a coach it's my responsibility to put those environments around him and go, 'If that's what you want to attain it's going to take a lot of work, and we can't wait until high school.'

"We built our vacations around visiting college and going to camps. Wherever we're going to go let's see the school. And the connections (I had) in that environment gave me an opportunity to call coaches and say, 'Hey, can we come see the football facility? Can we meet some people?' It allowed him to dream big."

Matt Ludwig
Billings West's Matt Ludwig poses in a Michigan Wolverines uniform.

The Ludwigs relocated to Billings, where Moose's grandparents live, prior to his sophomore year. Playing (primarily) tight end and edge defense at West High, Moose parlayed his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame into a litany of college football offers from every big program you can think of: Florida, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, Texas ....

A four-star recruit, Moose eventually chose Michigan and head coach Sherrone Moore. He made the commitment official on May 20 of this year.

"It really came down to the culture and the family feel there," Ludwig said. "The relationships I (built) with the staff and the coaches and the players were out of this world.

"I woke up from a nap one day and I was like, 'Mom, I'm committing to Michigan.' And she's like, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. Have you thought this through?' I was like, 'Yes. This is the choice. This is what we're going to do.'"

But at the forefront of his mind throughout the process was Nicko, who always shared in Moose's dreams.

Matt Ludwig
Billings West tight end Matt Ludwig.

At birth, the prognosis of Nicko's life expectancy wasn't great. But he beat those odds with the love and support of his family. Nicko passed away on Feb. 21, 2023 at age 12, leaving a legacy those who loved him will always cherish.

"Nick was the biggest fighter in the world," Moose said. "Me and him, we fell in love with (the movie) Rocky. He looked up to Rocky as an inspiration. Just keep fighting. Keep going and don't stop. And that's how he took life.

"He kept pushing himself every moment, beating dates that people were projecting that he was probably going to go. But he just kept pushing."

Moose has dedicated his career to Nicko's memory, and one thing he'd like to accomplish before his high school career ends this fall is to win a state championship.

Matt Ludwig
Matt Ludwig, center, is pictured with (from left) Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore, Ludwig's mother Tessa, his sister Alivia and his father Matthew at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.

West, typically a Class AA contender, will again rely on Moose's talent. Last season as a junior he finished with 822 receiving yards with four touchdowns, and 149 rushing yards and two TDs as the Golden Bears went 9-2.

"I've only got a little bit of time left here, and I want to make sure I cherish it with the people who brought me in with open arms," Moose said.

He'll do it all while carrying the memory of his brother close to his heart, and he'll continue to strive to make the shared dreams and goals a reality.

Like Nicko, Moose won't let the hard days win.

"It's the biggest motivator to know he's up there and that he's watching over me and my family," Moose said. "It just pushes me every day to keep fighting how he did. He helped teach me so many things in life that I didn't even realize, and that's what built me into who I am today."