"My life is a blessing": Eric LeGrand
My name is Eric LeGrand and I fractured my C-3 and C-4 vertebrae during a college football game in my junior year of Rutgers University that left me paralyzed from the neck down. The doctors had given me a 0 to 5 percent chance of regaining neurological function, but I never let that stop me or keep me down. Only four months after my injury, I had already regained movement in my shoulders and some sensation thanks to the time I spent at the Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation. I am very grateful for the resources that I had available during my recovery and was so humbled by the outpour of support that I was inspired to pay it forward and help others.
While I've been so fortunate in my recovery, there are many people living with spinal cord injuries who don't have access to the proper resources. By creating @Team LeGrand and joining forces with the @Reeve Foundation, I'll be able to help people navigate the challenges of living with paralysis, and together we can achieve Christopher Reeve's dream of a world of empty wheelchairs. After my injury, I didn’t know what was next. Now I can honestly say that everything has been a blessing in my life and I am grinding every day to fulfill my purpose of helping others. All the support from the community inspires me to find cures for not only myself but everyone living with paralysis, and I'm not going to stop until I do. I truly believe that I will walk again one day. Until then, I will continue living life to the fullest and not let anything hold me back.
