Former Rutgers University football player Eric LeGrand speaks to students at Allentown High School on Nov. 2. JENNIFER ORTIZ/STAFF In October 2010, Rutgers University football player Eric LeGrand collided with Army’s Malcolm Brown during the fourth quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford. The collision caused an injury that left LeGrand paralyzed from the neck down, but five years later he says he would not take anything back.
On Nov. 2, LeGrand, 25, shared his story with Allentown High School students. The purpose of his visit was to help the young adults overcome obstacles they may be facing in their lives.
“People ask, would I change that day, and it’s crazy to say, I don’t know that I could change anything that has happened,” LeGrand said. “Since this injury, everything has been so positive in my life. I got to experience some great things, do some great things and meet some great people. This is my story. Of course I don’t want to be paralyzed, but the people I have gotten to meet and the places I have gotten to go, I don’t know if I can take back these memories. I don’t know if I would change it.”
Upper Freehold Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Richard Fitzpatrick said, “We have been interested in having Eric LeGrand come (to visit the district). … He has carried himself with an extremely positive attitude toward what has happened to him and carried the message for others.
“… When you meet with adversity, you can chose to give in to adversity or you can chose to do whatever you can to maximize all of the aspects of your life and don’t give in to the whole notion of being discouraged.
“I think that is an important message for kids, who face all kinds of situations where they become discouraged; discouraged with learning, discouraged with not making a team, or discouraged with not getting into an AP class, or not getting selected for an activity, or being rejected by the girl you asked to the prom.
“We all have things that come to our life. Our lives are not filled with (everything being answered) yes. There are some (answers of) no that come forth and being able to address that, as a young person, is (making) a contribution to who you will be and who you are,” Fitzpatrick said.
Members of the Allentown football team met with LeGrand and heard him credit football for providing him with the mentality he needs during the physical therapy sessions he receives.
“Life is tough, it’s not easy, but things I learned on the football field put me in the right mindset. Don’t want to lift today? Get up and do it because you have a responsibility today,” he said. “In college, there are many opportunities to go out. I knew what I wanted in life. When you find what you want, believe me, you can do a lot of things that you put your mind to.”
People around LeGrand have helped him to persevere in the face of adversity. LeGrand said that when he arrived at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, one of the first people with whom he became friends was a fellow patient, Jermaine. “We became friends right away. Jermaine would come to my room, play Xbox. He became a part of my family,” LeGrand said.
According to LeGrand, Jermaine had a cancerous tumor growing on the lower part of his spinal cord, which if removed would have resulted in paralysis. Doctors chose to proceed with chemotherapy instead.
LeGrand said he had been at Kessler for five months when he left on a two-week break from therapy to start outpatient treatment. When LeGrand returned on a Friday, Jermaine’s health had deteriorated so much that he could not recognize LeGrand. By Monday, Jermaine had died.
“That made my heart drop. I said, you know what, I will never complain again. Because all he wanted to do was anything he could to take care of himself. He could not get his mom or dad to do his laundry or even give him a home cooked meal, meanwhile, I’m sitting here, I got the whole world behind me.
“You don’t even realize it, that in life you have to be appreciative of the things you do have and not focus on the things you don’t have. It made me realize, too, that no matter how bad my situation may be, there is always someone out there who has it worse,” LeGrand said.
LeGrand said he is able to remain positive with the support he receives from people through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“I have seen it happen with injuries like this where people just fold up. At the beginning, so many people were positive around me, wishing me well, telling me I’m going to get better. So many people gave to me, now it’s my turn to give back and find a cure for this,” he said.
As for Brown, LeGrand said he has no negative feelings toward the former Army football player with whom he will always be linked.
“Malcolm was scared to reach out because he felt bad about the injury. I (told him) he has nothing to worry about. I have no animosity. He serves as one of my inspirations; he is (overseas) now protecting our country.
“He said he uses me as motivation and inspiration for his troops. I was like, wow, he’s thinking about me as he’s trying to fight, serve and protect us. It really hit me hard, the impact you can make in this world. You never know how you could impact someone’s life,” LeGrand told the Allentown students.
— Contact Jennifer Ortiz at jortiz@gmnews.com