The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/641955
2016 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE baugh to stand for acknowledgement. Almost all of them, though, were there to support a cause greater than Michigan football — the ChadTough Foundation in memory of the late Chad Carr. RALLYING FOR A CAUSE It was love that brought most of them out at 11 a.m. on a Wednesday, Harbaugh said of the 5-year-old who lost his 14-month battle with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) in No- vember. The son of former Michigan quarterback Jason Carr and his wife, Tammi, and grandson of former U-M head coach Lloyd Carr and All-Ameri- can Tom Curtis, had brought the com- munity "closer to God" with his story. The event helped raise awareness for the cause and had raised more than $120,000 as of Feb. 5, including a $50,000 match by boosters Ira and Nicki Harris. Harbaugh, his wife, Sarah, and Tammi Carr all took the stage in front of a photo collage played on the big screen. "Chad loved sports, he loved to dance, he loved animals — especially his dog, Tootie," Harbaugh said. "He loved pizza, and he especially loved playing with his two older brothers, CJ and Tommy." "Chad's loss was felt by the whole University of Michigan community," Sarah Harbaugh added. "Today we stand together to help so those of us in this room and watching this show can hold Chad and his family close to our hearts. "Their resilience during this hor- rible tragedy is truly inspirational. Through this personal loss, they have found strength to create the Chad- Tough Foundation so that other chil- dren and families can someday avoid the crushing, brutal pain of battling pediatric brain tumors." An emotional Tammi Carr offered her thanks to the Harbaughs before giving a loving tribute to her son. "Chad had an important job to do on this earth, and it was to inspire people to get involved," she said. "I truly believe he accomplished more in his five years than many people do in their entire lives. "ChadTough Foundation is his legacy, inspiration and change, and we are truly committed to continuing his work." Howard later called the event an opportunity to bring a positive out of devastating despair. "It brought a lot of sadness to a lot of people. He was a fighter who meant a lot to not only football pro- gram, but also the community," he said. "At the end of the day that's what really brought all this together. "When you see different person- alities like coach Lou Holtz, [profes- sional wrestler] Ric Flair here, they're not just here because of their rela- tionship with Jim Harbaugh, though that's a big part of it. It's also for the Chad Tough Foundation, so please support that and donate." RAISING THE SIGNING DAY BAR Even the so-called enemy couldn't criticize an event that raised money for charity, though down the road