"They say spinal cord injuries are financially crippling and they are," she says. His nursing training, combined with the lack ... Eric LeGrand. Believing is a big part of LeGrand’s life. Rutgers has established the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund to help. He laid motionless on the 25-yard line, a seemingly routine collision in a college football game sending Eric LeGrand onto his back. However, when he tried to move his legs with no success, he realized the seriousness of his injury. They've been selling Believe Wear shirts and sweats like the one Karen was wearing, to raise money for the LeGrands. Karen feeds Eric a grilled chicken sandwich and even before he’s done he starts asking about cookies. It takes Karen LeGrand, with the help of a nurse and a nurse's aide, about two hours to get Eric out of bed, dressed and into the $40,000 wheelchair that Eric adroitly controls with a mouthpiece. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. In early 2011, he had recovered sensation all over his body and could move his shoulders. "We kind of go in with open minds.". She tried going back to work for a few days while Eric was at Kessler, but it just wasn't working. Then, in July, Eric LeGrand shared photos of himself standing upright and announced that he was steadily regaining movement in his arms. In 2011, after months of intensive therapy at the renowned Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Eric was weaned […] This is where the new house makes a huge difference. LeGrand, then a 270-pound defensive lineman for the Scarlet Knights, made a hit on Army kick returner Malcolm Brown and fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae. It's up to Karen to keep an eye on the clock. Karen LeGrand would have it no other way. He tweets — @BigE52_RU has more than 21,000 followers — and posts on his Facebook page thanks to a voice activated laptop. He does several sets of side-to-side movements, a few minutes each. He survived an injury that not everyone survives. LeGrand used to be able to bench press more than 400 pounds, but this workout is as tough as any he’s ever done. Henry Repeating Arms is the leading lever-action firearms manufacturer in the USA. "He's going to be fine. Karen LeGrand would have it no other way. Winds light and variable. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. Eric LeGrand was paralyzed playing defense for special teams on a kickoff return late in the fourth quarter of an NCAA game against Army. His physical therapists attache electrodes to his back, chest, biceps and triceps. "I miss the most being able to take care of myself," he says. Eric LeGrand: Star Football Player. They understand that the road ahead will not be easy. He tweets -- (at)BigE52--RU has more than 21,000 followers -- and posts on his Facebook page thanks to a voice activated laptop. Today he is capable of sitting up for 15 minutes on his own and is slowly regaining some movement in his arms. Karen goes to get lunch and maybe does some shopping or errands. Because of his injuries Eric always feels cold, so on a fall day when the temperature is touching 80 degrees and the sun is shining brightly, he rolls out of the apartment and into the parking lot of the subdivision to bake in the rays. "So I can be like, 'I walked off the field. LeGrand used to be able to bench press more than 400 pounds, but this workout is as tough as any he's ever done. On Sunday, Oct. 16, it will be one year since the 21-year-old LeGrand played his last football game, made his last tackle. Rutgers had just scored, and kicked off to Army late in a game at the new Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. He's got an itch. He’s often asked to speak at schools and churches, to talk about overcoming adversity by staying positive, never giving up hope, believing in God and yourself. When he opened his eyes, he was facing a fence with his hands shielding his face. He’ll even do it to one his physical therapists now and again. But after his injury, LeGrand’s appetite went away and his weight dwindled to 196 pounds. He does analysis during pregame, postgame and halftime of Rutgers radio broadcasts. He greets his former teammates in the locker room before each Rutgers home game, then he goes to his new job. JEFFERSON – Eric LeGrand took the high school stage at six years to the week after he fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae in a Rutgers football game. To understand why, you must see his daily grind through his eyes. Jets linebacker Bart Scott sent a $36,000 check to the LeGrands, the proceeds from his "Can’t Wait" T-shirts. "I got to start fighting to get something out of her.". Eric's goal is to someday walk again and his progress has reached the point where he can stand with the help of special medical equipment. It’s about a 45-minute drive to Kessler and Eric still has to have lunch. Rutgers had just scored, and kicked off to Army late in a game at the new Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. "The neat thing is he's still E," coach Greg Schiano says. LeGrand’s appearance at the Hale Center, Rutgers’ athletic facility, draws a small crowd. That’s what happened to football player, Eric LeGrand. They treat him like the same guy. His former teammates stop to chat and make plans. The only thing the LeGrands have closed their minds to is negativity. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. He does analysis during pregame, postgame and halftime of Rutgers radio broadcasts. His physical therapists attache electrodes to his back, chest, biceps and triceps. On the front of his mom's black shirt, BELIEVE in red letters with LeGrand's number, 52. Eric sits, bent at the hip in his chair with his arms crooked and his forearms resting on the table, palms down. They understand that the road ahead will not be easy. Nike presented their Eric Legrand Foundation Game jersey for Tampa Bay fans who want to show their support and spirit for Eric LeGrand on his long road to recovery. In the two-bedroom apartment where he and his mother, Karen LeGrand, live in Woodbridge, about a mile away from the home where he grew up in Avenel -- which is being rebuilt to accommodate him -- there is a wood carving of BELIEVE on the TV stand. The 20-year-old Colonia native has taken to Twitter to update his progress throughout his recovery. "We kind of go in with open minds.". "I would like to say I'm going to be able to work in a year, but you know that I have to have confidence. LeGrand's appearance at the Hale Center, Rutgers' athletic facility, draws a small crowd. The business first launched with an online shop, and a brick and mortar location will open later this year in Eric’s hometown of Woodbridge, New Jersey. So, yes, he can have a treat today, but it has to be one of those 100 calorie cookie packs. "One thing I’m going to do when I get better, I’m going to go back out to the Giants’ field. Like most athletes do when they are done playing, LeGrand is now a sportscaster. Don't miss the big stories. The only thing the LeGrands have closed their minds to is negativity. "Of course," she says when asked if she’s worried about paying the bills in the future. And he's going to do great things in the interim as well.". He does that with his girlfriend, too. He has sensation in his body since the injury and can shrug his shoulders, but he has been unable to move his arms or legs since being hurt. He takes classes three nights a week, using an online video conference to watch the lectures from home. To Eric, it is not matter of if he walks again, but rather when. They treat him like the same guy. "So I can be like, ‘I walked off the field. On this unseasonably warm day, the first thing Eric wants to do is go outside. He's got a similar bike at home, on which he can also work out his legs, with the help of those electrodes. Now, LeGrand can move his arms and shoulders. Now, LeGrand can move his arms and shoulders. He hangs out with his friends and his girlfriend. He’s already done his first TV spot, too. Where I got hurt, I'm going to lay down. LeGrand fractured his C-3 and C-4 vertebrae and, that night, underwent nine hours of … The standout defensive tackle became paralyzed from the neck down with a 0-5% chance of regaining neurological function according to his doctors. He can sit forward. A Hit Left Eric LeGrand Paralyzed, But His Love Of Football Endures ESPN The Magazine | September 14,2015 Five years after a hit left him paralyzed, the former Rutgers standout says his lifelong love of football still sustains him. '", NYC Police Union Claims Cop's Car Was Set on Fire, Over 1,100 PPE Items Removed From Jersey Shore Last Year, as Masks Litter World's Beaches, Copyright © 2021 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. A day in the life of Eric LeGrand is, in a word, busy. He’s got a similar bike at home, on which he can also work out his legs, with the help of those electrodes. A Hit Left Eric LeGrand Paralyzed, But His Love Of Football Endures ESPN The Magazine | September 14,2015 Five years after a hit left him paralyzed, the former Rutgers standout says his lifelong love of football still sustains him. Before she goes, she straightens his shirt, pushes back a couple of his dreadlocks and sends him on his way. Eric says when he gets better, "I’m definitely going on five or six vacations. Because of his injuries Eric always feels cold, so on a fall day when the temperature is touching 80 degrees and the sun is shining brightly, he rolls out of the apartment and into the parking lot of the subdivision to bake in the rays. LeGrand remembers going down and being dazed, but didn't understand at the time how severely he was hurt. Rutgers has established the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund to help. "I'm really hands on. WOODBRIDGE, N.J. -- Eric LeGrand makes this face sometimes. Winds light and variable.. A few clouds. Rehab wraps up a few minutes early because LeGrand needs some adjustments to his chair and before he goes home for class, he has to stop by Rutgers to receive an award from a church group from Brooklyn. They’ve been selling Believe Wear shirts and sweats like the one Karen was wearing, to raise money for the LeGrands. On this unseasonably warm day, the first thing Eric wants to do is go outside. In 2011, after months of intensive therapy at the renowned Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Eric was weaned […] "I love the way the players treat him. He’s up to 240 and looks like a football player again, thick in the chest and legs. Rutgers Player Paralyzed (VIDEO): Next 72 Hours Critical for Eric LeGrand October 19, 2010. "’, Eric LeGrand Believe Fund: http://www.scarletknights.com/believe/, Eric LeGrand Patriot Saint Foundation: http://www.ericlegrandpatriotsaintfoundation.com/, Follow Ralph D. Russo at http://Twitter.com/ralphdrussoAP. In 2010, Eric LeGrand “collided with the ball carrier” and “suffered a severe spinal injury”. Eric LeGrand believes he will walk again. That’s why Christensen Arms builds an exceptionally lightweight, accurate firearm with cutting-edge, aerospace technology that’s not a burden to carry all day – even if you don’t get to take a shot. I think that’s why he likes being around the team.". When you try to move, there's 1,000 pounds on you and you can't move it." Done with lunch, Eric heads to the minivan and backs himself in perfectly. Eric continues to make progress in his recovery from his injuries. He can feel sensations all over, too, but he cannot distinguish between sharp and dull pressure. He requests grandma’s baked ziti but it’s too late for that. Rehab wraps up a few minutes early because LeGrand needs some adjustments to his chair and before he goes home for class, he has to stop by Rutgers to receive an award from a church group from Brooklyn. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. And, according to his doctors, has not responded since. He can't scratch it because he is paralyzed below the shoulders. Sheriffs Can Arrest Feds Who Violate Citizens’ Gun Rights, New Missouri County Ordinance Says ... and accessories typical to the normal function of such arms, in defense of his home, person, family and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned. "We'll have to deal with that when it happens. After five months at Kessler, Karen figures she knows just as much as any caregiver about the proper way to take care for her son. I have to make sure they do it my way. Christensen Arms … The electrical charges take the place of the ones that can’t get from his brain to his muscles because of the injury to his spinal cord. Before his injury Eric could and would eat just about anything he wanted. He’s breathing without a ventilator, something doctors had told his mother would be unlikely. Right now Eric is my main concern.". I’m going to get up and run back off the field, right back to the sideline. Eric resumed his studies at Rutgers University and graduated in the spring of 2014. "I've been praying for you," the man says. He has sensation in his body since the injury and can shrug his shoulders, but he has been unable to move his arms or legs since being hurt. Karen and Eric aren’t naive. The parents of some of LeGrand's high school friends started the Eric LeGrand Patriot Saint Foundation. Having initial paralysis from the neck down, and unable to breathe on his own, LeGrand eventually became able to move his shoulders again and regained sensation . And they both admit having moments of frustration. "We’ll have to deal with that when it happens. The art work on the living room wall, BELIEVE. JEFFERSON – Eric LeGrand took the high school stage at six years to the week after he fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae in a Rutgers football game. Angry people are negative people and there is no place for negativity in the LeGrand home. "When I get better, I'm going to move to Florida," he said. To understand why, you must see his daily grind through his eyes. Just like she used to do when Eric was little, and he’d be out playing from morning until sundown, Karen has to call her son in to eat and hope that he’s close enough to hear. The amazing thing now is, for a guy who still can’t scratch his nose, LeGrand will tell you with a smile -- always with a smile -- why he has so many reasons to be grateful. While there has been great progress in treating spinal cord injury patients, it is still almost impossible to predict recovery. It appears LeGrand… Like us on Facebook. He can wiggle his shoulders by using his neck muscles. He hadn't been that light since his freshman year of high school. Karen says she’ll put some hamburgers on the grill and to Eric, it’s the best news he’s heard all day. Burgers, barbecue, baked ziti — his grandma's is best, though his mom's will do — cookies and cake. "I’m famous," Eric says with a smile as he rolls into Kessler. He spent five months as a patient at Kessler Institute in West Orange, N.J., where he saw people with spinal cord injuries who could not even eat. I’m sure the nurses and the aides hate me.". On Sunday, Oct. 16, it will be one year since the 21-year-old LeGrand played his last football game, made his last tackle. A day in the life of Eric LeGrand is, in a word, busy. Karen goes to get lunch and maybe does some shopping or errands. "We have faith and we pray and we know in the long run -- we don’t know how long it’s going to be -- but in the long run he’s going to be OK," she says. ", Karen says, "Me, myself, I just want to go to an island and get lost.". And that he did. All rights reserved. The standout defensive tackle became paralyzed from the neck down with a 0-5% chance of regaining neurological function according to his doctors. But when no one is close enough, he just makes that face. LeGrand was credited with the tackle, but he lay on the ground for several minutes before being carted off, unable to move anything but his head and unable to breathe. The electrical charges take the place of the ones that can’t get from his brain to his muscles because of the injury to his spinal cord. Karen LeGrand worked for 20 years as an import/export specialist. He also has resumed his studies at Rutgers, who has set up the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund. In January 2021, Eric officially created his own coffee brand, LeGrand Coffee House. The Eric LeGrand Believe Fund, set up by Rutgers University as a trust after your injury, paid for the house to be split into zones so you can keep … Karen LeGrand worked for 20 years as an import/export specialist. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. ", Karen says, "Me, myself, I just want to go to an island and get lost.". I have to make sure they do it my way. Done with lunch, Eric heads to the minivan and backs himself in perfectly. His face strains from the effort. That would be the last moment where LeGrand … Between insurance she pays for, Rutgers’ insurance and the NCAA’s insurance, Eric’s medical bills and all his equipment are covered for now. Believing is a big part of LeGrand's life. It’s up to Karen to keep an eye on the clock. LeGrand, then a 270-pound defensive lineman for the Scarlet Knights, made a hit on Army kick returner Malcolm Brown and fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae. In the early days after his injury, Karen LeGrand and an aide would lift him out of the chair together, but now they can move him to his bed, his bathroom or his therapy table using a system of tracks running along the ceiling. Right now Eric is my main concern.". On a kickoff to Army, LeGrand unintentionally put his head down while running and ended up driving the crown of his head into the shoulder of the ball carrier, Malcolm Brown. A 25-Year Legacy of Creating Beloved Rifles. "I love the way the players treat him. "I love barbecued hamburgers," he says. Karen declines an offer to help strap in the chair. "If I can’t trust them to take care of him properly, I can’t leave him with them.". He then he pushes down a few inches. Partly cloudy. WHERE IS Eric LeGrand? "There are so many good people out there and it helps because I don't know when I'm going to be able to work again," she says. Today he is capable of sitting up for 15 minutes on his own and is slowly regaining some movement in his arms. But when no one is close enough, he just makes that face. When they get to Kessler, a passer-by does a double-take as he walks by the minivan, stops, turns back and leans into the open door. Eric LeGrand believes he will walk again. He can feel sensations all over, too, but he cannot distinguish between sharp and dull pressure. So, yes, he can have a treat today, but it has to be one of those 100 calorie cookie packs. The stadium fell silent while the extent of his injuries was realized right before their eyes. But it didn’t respond. LeGrand previously said he has been able to move his arm to the side. High 71F. The amazing thing now is, for a guy who still can't scratch his nose, LeGrand will tell you with a smile — always with a smile — why he has so many reasons to be grateful. "They say spinal cord injuries are financially crippling and they are," she says. It's about a 45-minute drive to Kessler and Eric still has to have lunch. Karen needs to get Eric home in time for class and to cook dinner. It's well into the six figures already. It takes Karen LeGrand, with the help of a nurse and a nurse’s aide, about two hours to get Eric out of bed, dressed and into the $40,000 wheelchair that Eric adroitly controls with a mouthpiece. He scrunches up his nose and mouth, wiggles them a bit, stretches them from side to side. Now he's an outpatient there, rehabbing three days a week. After missing most of his junior year, he's back to working on his degree at Rutgers. His physical therapists attache electrodes to his back, chest, biceps and triceps. Karen and Eric aren't naive. Within a year of his injury, he began to use his arms again, and could stand with the help of a metal frame. I have to be able to trust the people taking care of him before I can leave them with him. If his mom was close by, he’d rub his face against her chest, shoulder or arm. "I'm famous," Eric says with a smile as he rolls into Kessler. Where isn't Eric LeGrand? "Because the numbers may say there's only a 20 percent chance of walking, you really don't know that," said Dr. Monifa Brooks, who treated LeGrand at Kessler. But after his injury, LeGrand's appetite went away and his weight dwindled to 196 pounds. LeGrand will … LeGrand has since finished his degree, published a book (Believe the Victorious Story of Eric LeGrand), worked as a sports analyst and motivational speaker, and is now trying his hand as a coffee shop owner. On October 16, 2010, LeGrand suffered a severe spinal cord injury during a game against Army in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at MetLife Stadium. As a true freshman, LeGrand made his first appearance on special teams against North Carolina, but by the next season his coach decided to move him to the defensive line. Welcome to the Employer Resource Information Center (ERIC). When he went in for a tackle on Michael Brown, his head collided with Brown’s left shoulder, causing him to fracture his … He’s got an itch. I'm going to get up and run back off the field, right back to the sideline. Karen needs to get Eric home in time for class and to cook dinner. Six years ago, Eric LeGrand sustained a spinal cord injury while playing football for Rutgers University. After about 30 minutes on the bike, he moves over to another station to do some weight training — again with the help of the electrodes. Eric explained that his mother can hook a sling under his arms… But if anyone can begin to comprehend the confusion, the questions and the wide range of raw emotions being experienced by LeGrand and his family since … When they get to Kessler, a passer-by does a double-take as he walks by the minivan, stops, turns back and leans into the open door. That's why they don't get angry. He's breathing without a ventilator, something doctors had told his mother would be unlikely. LeGrand is 250 pounds. In January 2021, Eric officially created his own coffee brand, LeGrand Coffee House. While there has been great progress in treating spinal cord injury patients, it is still almost impossible to predict recovery. "The neat thing is he’s still E," coach Greg Schiano says. I have to be able to trust the people taking care of him before I can leave them with him. He uses electrodes to stimulate his pectoral muscles to move the arm toward his body, then tells LeGrand to hold it there for 30 seconds. Karen declines an offer to help strap in the chair. Again, big smile. He's already done his first TV spot, too. "I love barbecued hamburgers," he says. That was a life-changer. Before his injury Eric could and would eat just about anything he wanted. ERIC is a self-service unemployment compensation tax system. Karen feeds Eric a grilled chicken sandwich and even before he's done he starts asking about cookies. LeGrand remembers going down and being dazed, but didn’t understand at the time how severely he was hurt. He spent five months as a patient at Kessler Institute in West Orange, N.J., where he saw people with spinal cord injuries who could not even eat. Before she goes, she straightens his shirt, pushes back a couple of his dreadlocks and sends him on his way. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. Mondays and Fridays, LeGrand, the former Rutgers football player whose career was cut short by a spinal injury in 2010, is working with his foundation, Team LeGrand, and traveling the greater New York City area for … "There are so many good people out there and it helps because I don’t know when I’m going to be able to work again," she says. "When I get better, I’m going to move to Florida," he said. "If I can't trust them to take care of him properly, I can't leave him with them.". It’s a hit that’s hard to watch. "We have faith and we pray and we know in the long run — we don't know how long it's going to be — but in the long run he's going to be OK," she says. He does several sets of side-to-side movements, a few minutes each. "Of course," she says when asked if she's worried about paying the bills in the future. He takes classes three nights a week, using an online video conference to watch the lectures from home. She tried going back to work for a few days while Eric was at Kessler, but it just wasn’t working. I'm sure the nurses and the aides hate me.". Football collision left Rutgers player Eric LeGrand paralyzed 13 months later, LeGrand can move his head and shoulders somewhat He maintains a positive outlook and believes he will walk again The art work on the living room wall, BELIEVE. LeGrand will … The electrical charges take the place of the ones that can't get from his brain to his muscles because of the injury to his spinal cord. Karen was worried sick that her big baby boy was wasting away. His physical therapists attache electrodes to his back, chest, biceps and triceps. He's up to 240 and looks like a football player again, thick in the chest and legs. With the electrodes in place, his hands are strapped to a hand bike and once the current gets flowing, Eric can start cranking until the spasms -- a frequent side effect -- kick in, his muscles tighten and he needs to stop. And his progress did not stop there.