Between insurance she pays for, Rutgers’ insurance and the NCAA’s insurance, Eric’s medical bills and all his equipment are covered for now. Before his injury Eric could and would eat just about anything he wanted. 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. They understand that the road ahead will not be easy. He tweets — @BigE52_RU has more than 21,000 followers — and posts on his Facebook page thanks to a voice activated laptop. He’s breathing without a ventilator, something doctors had told his mother would be unlikely. He requests grandma's baked ziti but it's too late for that. She tried going back to work for a few days while Eric was at Kessler, but it just wasn’t working. Karen needs to get Eric home in time for class and to cook dinner. On Sunday, Oct. 16, it will be one year since the 21-year-old LeGrand played his last football game, made his last tackle. "They say spinal cord injuries are financially crippling and they are," she says. Employers can use ERIC to register for new employer account numbers, get web access for new and existing accounts, file quarterly reports, … "The neat thing is he’s still E," coach Greg Schiano says. Today he is capable of sitting up for 15 minutes on his own and is slowly regaining some movement in his arms. After missing most of his junior year, he’s back to working on his degree at Rutgers. 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. Karen LeGrand worked for 20 years as an import/export specialist. To Eric, it is not matter of if he walks again, but rather when. "One thing I’m going to do when I get better, I’m going to go back out to the Giants’ field. "I’m really hands on. "I got to start fighting to get something out of her.". He’ll even do it to one his physical therapists now and again. Karen LeGrand worked for 20 years as an import/export specialist. Welcome to the Employer Resource Information Center (ERIC). 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. However, when he tried to move his legs with no success, he realized the seriousness of his injury. He then he pushes down a few inches. I have to be able to trust the people taking care of him before I can leave them with him. He’s already done his first TV spot, too. He does analysis during pregame, postgame and halftime of Rutgers radio broadcasts. His nursing training, combined with the lack ... Eric LeGrand. 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. 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. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. To Eric, it is not matter of if he walks again, but rather when. Winds light and variable.. A few clouds. Eric says when he gets better, "I'm definitely going on five or six vacations. And his progress did not stop there. 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. I’m sure the nurses and the aides hate me.". 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. "So I can be like, ‘I walked off the field. Now she's worried that he's going to eat himself out of that wheelchair. 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. Right now Eric is my main concern.". At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. He can't scratch it because he is paralyzed below the shoulders. Now, LeGrand can move his arms and shoulders. After missing most of his junior year, he's back to working on his degree at Rutgers. When you try to move, there's 1,000 pounds on you and you can't move it." In 2010, Eric LeGrand “collided with the ball carrier” and “suffered a severe spinal injury”. They understand that the road ahead will not be easy. He can feel sensations all over, too, but he cannot distinguish between sharp and dull pressure. 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 . 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. I have to make sure they do it my way. While there has been great progress in treating spinal cord injury patients, it is still almost impossible to predict recovery. Eric LeGrand: Star Football Player. We went into Eric's bedroom so he could show us the track lifting system fixed to the ceiling. "She gives me like one cookie every other day," he says. He can wiggle his shoulders by using his neck muscles. 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. He greets his former teammates in the locker room before each Rutgers home game, then he goes to his new job. "I love barbecued hamburgers," he says. Now, LeGrand can move his arms and shoulders. So, yes, he can have a treat today, but it has to be one of those 100 calorie cookie packs. His arms are put in straps and held up to about shoulder level, weights keeping them in place. Before she goes, she straightens his shirt, pushes back a couple of his dreadlocks and sends him on his way. That’s why they don’t get angry. He does several sets of side-to-side movements, a few minutes each. Mom gets a break while Eric is at rehab. The art work on the living room wall, BELIEVE. Karen and Eric aren’t naive. Eric explained that his mother can hook a sling under his arms… On Sunday, Oct. 16, it will be one year since the 21-year-old LeGrand played his last football game, made his last tackle. "I've been praying for you," the man says. 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. Karen says she’ll put some hamburgers on the grill and to Eric, it’s the best news he’s heard all day. "We kind of go in with open minds.". "He’s going to be fine. Eric says when he gets better, "I’m definitely going on five or six vacations. He laid motionless on the 25-yard line, a seemingly routine collision in a college football game sending Eric LeGrand onto his back. And they both admit having moments of frustration. LeGrand will … He does analysis during pregame, postgame and halftime of Rutgers radio broadcasts. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. 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. 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. In 2011, after months of intensive therapy at the renowned Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Eric was weaned […] They treat him like the same guy. 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. "We kind of go in with open minds.". Jets linebacker Bart Scott sent a $36,000 check to the LeGrands, the proceeds from his "Can’t Wait" T-shirts. Now she’s worried that he’s going to eat himself out of that wheelchair. He's already done his first TV spot, too. 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. Eric LeGrand makes this face sometimes. LeGrand previously said he has been able to move his arm to the side. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. On October 16, 2010, LeGrand suffered a severe spinal cord injury during a game against Army in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at MetLife Stadium. LeGrand left the field on a stretcher, unable to move under his … He can feel sensations all over, too, but he cannot distinguish between sharp and dull pressure. Eric sits, bent at the hip in his chair with his arms crooked and his forearms resting on the table, palms down. In 2011, after months of intensive therapy at the renowned Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Eric was weaned […] But before Eric hits the road on his big trip, he wants to swing by the stadium where he played his last game and take care of some unfinished business. He greets his former teammates in the locker room before each Rutgers home game, then he goes to his new job. "Of course," she says when asked if she's worried about paying the bills in the future. A day in the life of Eric LeGrand is, in a word, busy. LeGrand fractured his C-3 and C-4 vertebrae and, that night, underwent nine hours of emergency surgery to stabilize his spine. It’s well into the six figures already. The stadium fell silent while the extent of his injuries was realized right before their eyes. FEATURED COMPONENTS. Rutgers had just scored, and kicked off to Army late in a game at the new Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. I'm sure the nurses and the aides hate me.". He hadn't been that light since his freshman year of high school. 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 … 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. 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. WOODBRIDGE, N.J. -- Eric LeGrand makes this face sometimes. That would be the last moment where LeGrand … Karen and Eric aren't naive. He’s got a similar bike at home, on which he can also work out his legs, with the help of those electrodes. Again, big smile. On the front of his mom’s black shirt, BELIEVE in red letters with LeGrand’s number, 52. "’, 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. If his mom was close by, he’d rub his face against her chest, shoulder or arm. 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. 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. Paralyzed LeGrand returning to normal after injury. So, yes, he can have a treat today, but it has to be one of those 100 calorie cookie packs. Karen was worried sick that her big baby boy was wasting away. Rutgers Player Paralyzed (VIDEO): Next 72 Hours Critical for Eric LeGrand October 19, 2010. He can sit forward. Karen needs to get Eric home in time for class and to cook dinner. The only thing the LeGrands have closed their minds to is negativity. "I'm famous," Eric says with a smile as he rolls into Kessler. Winds light and variable. And they both admit having moments of frustration. 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. Angry people are negative people and there is no place for negativity in the LeGrand home. "One thing I'm going to do when I get better, I'm going to go back out to the Giants' field. And that he did. Karen feeds Eric a grilled chicken sandwich and even before he’s done he starts asking about cookies. He also has resumed his studies at Rutgers, who has set up the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund. All Henry rifles and shotguns are "Made in America, Or Not Made At All." He’s going to walk and he’s going to do great things. The parents of some of LeGrand's high school friends started the Eric LeGrand Patriot Saint Foundation. Then, in July, Eric LeGrand shared photos of himself standing upright and announced that he was steadily regaining movement in his arms. I’m going to get up and run back off the field, right back to the sideline. His physical therapists attache electrodes to his back, chest, biceps and triceps. After a successful high school career in his home state of New Jersey, LeGrand chose to stay close to home by enrolling in Rutgers University. While there has been great progress in treating spinal cord injury patients, it is still almost impossible to predict recovery. Like most athletes do when they are done playing, LeGrand is now a sportscaster. But it didn’t respond. New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott also set up Can'tWait57.com to sell T-shirts to help raise money. In early 2011, he had recovered sensation all over his body and could move his shoulders. Karen was worried sick that her big baby boy was wasting away. The 20-year-old Colonia native has taken to Twitter to update his progress throughout his recovery. It’s a hit that’s hard to watch. I have to be able to trust the people taking care of him before I can leave them with him. A day in the life of Eric LeGrand is, in a word, busy. She tried going back to work for a few days while Eric was at Kessler, but it just wasn't working. He's going to walk and he's going to do great things. Karen says she'll put some hamburgers on the grill and to Eric, it's the best news he's heard all day. "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. I have to make sure they do it my way. 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. On October 29th, 2011, the 21-year-old LeGrand, in his motorized wheelchair, led the Scarlet Knights onto the field at Rutgers’s stadium for … He'll even do it to one his physical therapists now and again. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. "They say spinal cord injuries are financially crippling and they are," she says. ", Karen says, "Me, myself, I just want to go to an island and get lost.". "I’ve been praying for you," the man says. But he needs to keep his weight under 242 to be able to do certain rehabilitation exercises involving treadmills and harnesses. The standout defensive tackle became paralyzed from the neck down with a 0-5% chance of regaining neurological function according to his doctors. He's got an itch. It appears LeGrand… Karen declines an offer to help strap in the chair. Karen feeds Eric a grilled chicken sandwich and even before he's done he starts asking about cookies. His physical therapists attache electrodes to his back, chest, biceps and triceps. He hadn’t been that light since his freshman year of high school. Where I got hurt, I'm going to lay down. I think that’s why he likes being around the team.". He survived an injury that not everyone survives. At rehab, Eric LeGrand can move his arms. Mom gets a break while Eric is at rehab. Low 44F. But after his injury, LeGrand's appetite went away and his weight dwindled to 196 pounds. He also has resumed his studies at Rutgers, who has set up the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund. The art work on the living room wall, BELIEVE. Don't miss the big stories. In January 2021, Eric officially created his own coffee brand, LeGrand Coffee House. The parents of some of LeGrand’s high school friends started the Eric LeGrand Patriot Saint Foundation. 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. "She gives me like one cookie every other day," he says. To understand why, you must see his daily grind through his eyes. His physical therapists attache electrodes to his back, chest, biceps and triceps. Now he’s an outpatient there, rehabbing three days a week. Eric resumed his studies at Rutgers University and graduated in the spring of 2014. This is where the new house makes a huge difference. 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. That was a life-changer. "The neat thing is he's still E," coach Greg Schiano says. 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. He hangs out with his friends and his girlfriend. Rutgers has established the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund to help. He hangs out with his friends and his girlfriend. All rights reserved. He scrunches up his nose and mouth, wiggles them a bit, stretches them from side to side. His former teammates stop to chat and make plans. Before his injury Eric could and would eat just about anything he wanted. 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 … 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. That's why they don't get angry. 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. "When I get better, I'm going to move to Florida," he said. ", Karen says, "Me, myself, I just want to go to an island and get lost.". High 71F. "I got to start fighting to get something out of her.". He takes classes three nights a week, using an online video conference to watch the lectures from home. He does that with his girlfriend, too. He's breathing without a ventilator, something doctors had told his mother would be unlikely. Six years ago, Eric LeGrand sustained a spinal cord injury while playing football for Rutgers University. And he’s going to do great things in the interim as well.". He's got a similar bike at home, on which he can also work out his legs, with the help of those electrodes. And he's going to do great things in the interim as well.". New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott also set up Can'tWait57.com to sell T-shirts to help raise money. 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. But he needs to keep his weight under 242 to be able to do certain rehabilitation exercises involving treadmills and harnesses. Like us on Facebook. Angry people are negative people and there is no place for negativity in the LeGrand home. 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.