Eric Legrand Courage And Strength - English - Biography

Sophia Sarbello
Mrs. Clark
Language Arts per.3
10 December 2014
It was a bright and sunny Saturday at the Meadowlands Stadium in New
Jersey. The Rutgers team was charging onto the field for the kickoff starting the
fourth quarter. The score 17-17 brought out the team’s energy as the football went
flying in the air to the end of the field. The Scarlet Knights caught the ball,rushing
down the 20 yard line, when Eric LeGrand tackled Malcolm Brown. It wasn’t just
any tackle, it was a tackle that Eric will never forget. While Eric was lying on the
field immobile, the medical people started running out onto the field with a
stretcher. Eric lay there paralyzed, watching people pick him up and put him on
stretcher while he was​ ​unable to feel anything. He was rushed to the hospital
where they put him into surgery. After nine hours of surgery, the doctors reported
to his mother Karen that he was paralyzed from the neck down due to a fractured
C3 and C4 vertebrae. Although Eric had a nasty tackle that changed his life
forever, he shows never to give up on life. He inspires many people with his faith
and confidence and he showed the doctors that anything is possible even if there
was a 0-5% chance that he could walk again.
Eric was born in Elizabeth New Jersey on September 4, 1990. When he
was six, his mother signed him up to play Pop Warner football. From then on he
had a dream to become a professional football player. He had a sister named
Nicole and a dad named Donnie McLoud. He went to a high school in New Jersey
named Colonia where he was an all-star football player. Through his years of
playing football, one thing lead to another. He was recruited to play college
football when he was freshman which is pretty exciting. Later on Eric was
recruited to play for Rutgers football in 2009. From Pop Warner football to college
football was a big step for Eric.
After nine hours of surgery, Eric’s mother Karen was told that he Eric
would probably never be able to move again. It went through one ear and out the
other for Karen. She didn’t care what the doctors informed her about her son, she
knew that he would get up and walk on two feet once again. Eric proved the
doct...