Paralyzed after a tackle, former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand has found strength through the support of family and friends and his single-word motto: believe. Doctors told LeGrand that he would never come off a ventilator nor walk again, yet he has defied expectations to breathe without assistance. LeGrand is seeking to graduate from Rutgers.
When I nailed him, my body instantly went stiff. My vision immediately blurred, and everything slowed down. I fell to the ground like a giant oak that had been cut down, landing on my back. Little did I know, everything about my life was about to change.
– Eric LeGrand, “Believe”
ESPN filmed part of the Outside the Lines special at the Ironbound Film and Television Studios in Newark during the summer of 2012.
ESPN OTL – Eric LeGrand – Believe
You may also read an excerpt from Eric LeGrand’s inspirational book, “Believe: My Faith the Tackle that Changed My Life,” on ESPN here.
This July, LeGrand won the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the 2012 ESPYS.
He is an analyst for Rutgers Football Radio Network and has appeared as a guest commentator on CBS College Football Today and SportsNet New York. He lives in New Jersey. LeGrand founded the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund.
Connect with Eric on his Facebook page
Follow Eric on Twitter @BigE52_RU
