EVANSVILLE — I could typically count on one consistent sight at Enlow Field. It never matted if it was sweltering hot in August or below freezing in November. Sam Schulz was always sitting behind the north end zone to watch the Memorial High School football team. You could honestly change the setting to any basketball gym or baseball diamond in Southwestern Indiana. He'd be there if able. That was probably more often that he should have considering his daily battle. Schulz was tougher than most, though. Schulz died on Wednesday, Aug. 12, from a life-long fight with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. He was 22 years old. Toughness can be an undeserving quality for many individuals. Never with Schulz. "Sam was a Tiger in every sense of the word," Memorial High School said in a statement. "He was faithful, passionate, compassionate, caring, strong, and inspiring. He was an alumnus, a SuperFan, a friend, and a beloved member of the Memorial Family. Sam filled our halls, our athletic events, and our community with a spirit that was uniquely his, and we are all better for having known and loved him. "Sam embodied what it means to be a Tiger."
Born with a genetic disorder that caused his skin to become fragile, he spent his entire life with constant pain. The last several years were strictly confined to a wheelchair with his body wrapped in bandages. That's not how many, including myself, will choose to remember Schulz. He was a fighter and an inspiration. A kid who made a connection with anyone and everyone. One who lived a fuller life than you'd expect for someone in his position. The avenue happened to be sports. There was the time he schmoozed past security, with the help of WFIE broadcaster Mike Blake, during the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament to chat with Hall of Fame basketball player Magic Johnson — the moment was front and center on SportsCenter. "The worst they were going to say is tell me no," he later told me. Fair enough.
He was on a first-name basis with several prominent college basketball coaches, including Chris Beard and John Calipari, and once talked his way into the Atlanta Braves clubhouse. There's plenty more instances of Sam being Sam. He once bet a friend that Michigan State guard Tum Tum Nairn would respond to his direct message on Instagram after a game. That led to text messages with Nairn and eventually courtside seats at Assembly Hall when the Spartans came to Bloomington. That path led to a fandom for the program and frequent interactions with Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo, who recently flew Schulz and his family to campus for the first time. The dream scenario was that he'd be strong enough to return in the winter for a home game, but his feeding tube and PICC line stopped working in January. Schulz had declined sharply in health since. The family was informed there wasn’t much more doctors could do. “It made me appreciate and realize how lucky I am that I have kids that are healthy and grandkids,” Izzo told the Lansing State Journal. “It seems like I did something nice for him, or we did. But the truth of the matter is, he did a lot more for us, and I mean that. That's not humility. That's not. That's the truth.” That's because his story was never just about sports. It was about him. It was how he continually persevered despite the disease he was dealt from forces beyond his control. It made it so easy to root for him. What immediately came to mind in that regard was Memorial's run to Lucas Oil Stadium in 2019.
Schulz struggled that fall with multiple hospital visits but was able to make the trip to Indianapolis with a sideline pass to watch Memorial football earn its second state championship. He was seen following the game with a blue medal around his neck. One of the players gifted it to him. Because he deserved it. A small dose of what the individual meant to Memorial. And trust me, nothing matched his affinity for everything Memorial. He was a co-host on the Memorial football podcast since its inception despite graduating three years ago. "Sam loved Memorial, and Memorial loved Sam right back," the school said. "His impact on our students, faculty, staff, alumni, coaches, athletes, classmates, and friends cannot be measured. His strength inspired us. His passion energized us. His friendship changed us. The example he set will continue to educate hearts and minds for generations of Tigers to come." There are probably not proper words to convey what Schulz meant to this community. His personality and passion always felt genuine, though. It gravitated others to him. He was Sam. And he can finally rest easy. I'll be sure to save your spot at Enlow. Kyle Sokeland is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland or email at kyle.sokeland@courierpress.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Evansville Memorial superfan, who befriended college basketball coaches, dies at 22