DENTON -- Ennis football coach Sam Harrell was never supposed to walk again, much less coach high school football again. His multiple sclerosis diagnosis was supposed to be a career ender.

But after receiving experimental stem cell therapy in Panama, Harrell is back on the field where he won three championships. His son, legendary Texas Tech quarterback and North Texas offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, could not be happier.

“I thought he’d want to coach again, but I never thought he would,” Graham Harrell said. “I sat there and watched him, there was a point where he was in the hospital for two weeks and couldn’t get out of his bed. Seeing him like that twice, I never thought he would.”

Sam Harrell was an outstanding coach in the ‘90s and 2000s. He won three state championships during his time at Ennis, including Graham’s sophomore year in 2001. For his accomplishments, Sam is a Texas Sports Hall of Famer.

But in 2009, Sam Harrell was forced to retire because of complications arising from his illness.

“My whole life, I can remember coming out to practice and you see your dad as a superhero or someone who can’t be hurt or can’t be sick,” Graham Harrell said. “To see him go through a point where he couldn’t walk and really should have been in a wheelchair, but he’s too stubborn, and see him in the hospital, tough things he went through, it was tough on everyone.”

His decline was immediate. Just years later, Sam Harrell was on the cusp of needing a wheelchair. The city of Ennis raised a substantial amount of money for Harrell to receive the experimental treatment in Panama, but it didn’t take the first two times.

The third time, it worked. 

“He went over there and had the stem cell treatment twice. When you see that happening, I think he’s the only one who didn’t lose hope,” Graham Harrell said. “He went back a third time and the third time was when it really took. Even my mom said we’re wasting our time, we’ve tried this, let’s move on. When you see your dad like that, I think everyone but him lost hope. I think that’s the one thing he never lost – the belief that the Lord could heal him." 

Unfortunately, Graham doesn’t expect to be at his father’s debut against Waxahachie on Friday. North Texas plays a rivalry game against SMU on Saturday evening. But expect to see the high school state champion around his father’s program more often, especially if the Lions can make a December playoff run.

“As many games as I can make, I’ll definitely make,” Graham Harrell said. “Even if I can’t make it, I’ll be following closely through texts from my mom or whatever. It’s an unbelievable situation, and I’m excited about him being back on the sideline.

“To see the miracle that’s happened in his life and that he’s back in coaching and especially that he’s back in Ennis, it’s probably a dream come true for him and it’s awesome for all of us. That’s the great thing about dad is that no matter where he goes, he finds a way to win. Hopefully that continues at Ennis.”