Eric LeGrand’s Paralysis and Wheelchair Can’t Dim His Smile

posted on Jun 07 by Deanna in the Disability News, Health, Spinal Cord Injury, Wheelchair Sports category

Not only is 20-year-old Eric LeGrand not angry about what happened to him on the football field last Fall, he cannot keep from smiling as he stays “focused on what’s going to happen next.” Eric played defensive tackle for Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, until October 2010. While the team was playing a game against the US Army, he collided with another player, his head connecting with an Army player’s shoulder. The hit was so traumatic and created so much damage, Eric was immediately paralyzed below the neck, leaving him in a wheelchair. But Eric isn’t letting that stop him!

Eric has a positive attitude about what has happened and looks to the future with a huge smile on his face. He might not be able to ever play football again, but he’s excited to pursue another career that he always wanted: sportscaster… or maybe even, a coach. While he makes up his mind about his new direction, Eric is taking a class in Blacks in Economics via Skype and uses a voice recognition program to write his papers. He’s planning on attending two more classes this summer and hasn’t let a second go by that would keep him from accomplishing his dreams.

Currently staying with his aunt and uncle and their three children, Eric always has family with him, and his mother and his girlfriend are ever-present by his side. Eric came home from the hospital in March and the family had already made the home accessible for him, turning a family room into a bedroom with a big TV that is always on ESPN.

Meanwhile, his paralysis has been lessening daily. He now says he feels new sensations and muscle tingles, including feeling returning in his finger tips and chest. With a positive attitude that doesn’t quit, he confidently believes that one day he will walk again. That indeed will make anyone smile!

A shining example on how to focus on how to turn a negative into a positive, Eric welcomes any chance to share his story. “I enjoy telling my story and I enjoy giving little chapters now,” he says. “Who knows how many chapters there are, but it’s not over yet.”

With a story as timeless as that smile of his, the message he offers is simple: Look at life as an adventure, and never let anything stop you from believing in yourself!

Sources:
nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2011/04/politi_paralyzed_rutgers_footb.html
nytimes.com/2010/10/18/sports/ncaafootball/18rutgers.html
content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/06/eric-legrand-to-speak-at-opening-ceremony-of-new-jersey-special-olympics/1