Clovis Unified Coach recovering from the West Nile virus

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Clovis Unified Coach Tim Thiessen will spend the next year recovering from the West Nile virus.

Doctors don't know for sure where Coach Thiessen contracted the mosquito-borne illness. Two weeks ago, the Granite Ridge PE teacher and 8th grade baseball coach was in Southern California running a baseball clinic when he complained of flu like symptoms.

His son, Robbie, tells Action News when he awakened the next morning he fell to the floor shaking and was unresponsive in the hospital.

Robbie said, "Come to find out they diagnosed it as West Nile virus and he also acquired encephalitis and mastoiditis along with it."

Paralyzed and with his kidneys failing doctors decided to give Thiessen an experimental treatment targeting nerve damage.

Within 24 hours, he began to bounce back, but will now have to undergo extensive therapy to learn to walk and talk again.

His family has set up a fundraising page on giveforward.com. So far they've raised nearly $25,000.

Watch the video for extended coverage from Action News reporter Linda Mumma.