2012-GameRelease-Divisional

Coach Feature Story
Milestone reached in Harbaugh's enriching friendship
By Matt Maiocco, CSNBayArea.com
Just days after quarterback Tyler Schilhabel played the finest -- and final -- game of his high school
football career, he received a visit in his hospital room from Jim Harbaugh.
Fate brought Schilhabel to within close proximity of Harbaugh when he was airlifted to Stanford Hospital
after an ATV accident left him paralyzed from the chest down in September 2010. But a friendship that
has enriched the lives of both individuals has ensured that they remain in close contact.
Harbaugh, the Stanford coach at the time, was there the day Schilhabel awakened following spinal-cord
surgery and a medically induced coma.
"I don't think I've ever seen a human being more down, more distraught," Harbaugh said. "He was awake,
but there was nothing behind his eyes."
More than 17 months later, Harbaugh paid another visit to Schilhabel. And this one was prompted by a
joyous occasion.
After the 49ers wrapped up practice Thursday in Santa Clara, the 2011 NFL Coach of the Year flew to
Bakersfield to attend Schilhabel's graduation from Independence High School.
"It's a milestone," Harbaugh told CSNBayArea.com on Friday. "Just supporting a friend for all the hard
work he has done."
When Schilhabel spent some time in November at the 49ers' practice facility in Santa Clara, there was
brief talk of Harbaugh attending the graduation ceremony.
"Then, about two months go, I got a text, 'Am I still invited to your graduation?' And it went from there,"
Schilhabel said.
Schilhabel had hoped to be able to walk across the stage to receive his diploma. However, his
rehabilitation slowed in the second year after his injury, he said.
"My body did not respond to the workouts as well as I'd hoped," he said. "I'm trying to stay healthy and
wait for my body to start picking back up. Right now, I'm healthy and in good condition, so I have no
complaints."
Schilhabel, 18, has demonstrated remarkable determination and ability to deal with adversity. It's a quality
he demonstrated on the football field, too.
In 2009, Independence lost to Clovis North 63-0. A year later with virtually the same teams (both schools
graduated their first senior classes this year), Schilhabel passed for 241 yards and two touchdowns and
ran for 51 yards and a touchdown to lead Independence to a shocking 21-19 victory.
Two days later, Schilhabel sustained the life-altering accident while riding a four-wheeler over a sand
dune at a designated area in Pismo Beach. Harbaugh learned of Schilhabel's plight and visited him. A
couple days later, Harbaugh returned with quarterback Andrew Luck and several other Stanford players
and staff.
"He was talking and he was still very sad," Harbaugh said. "Probably within a week, (I) saw the hope, the
determination, the special gift of personality that he has come back.