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Paralyzed Rutgers Football Player Eric LeGrand’s Inspiring Story of Recovery

Former Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was paralyzed from the neck down after a spinal cord injury during a 2010 football game. I want to share with you his inspiring story of recovery.  Paralysis is a condition that affects 5.6 million people, many of whom are able to achieve fulfilling and active lives.  Eric has recently finished his college degree in labor studies, a huge milestone in his recovery. At the time of his injury, LeGrand was 60 credits short of graduation. He began attending one class at a time via Skype as soon as he was able, leading to his eventual completion, after six years, of all necessary credits in order to graduate.  Working around his paralysis, LeGrand also used a stylus on a tablet with his mouth as well as the iOS voice recognition app Siri to transfer his thoughts into the written word for class assignments. “It feels good,” said LeGrand after turning in his last paper. “It shows that anything is truly possible.” He plans to be present for graduation ceremonies in May with the rest of the class of 2014. Since the fateful game, LeGrand has been attending rehabilitation therapy for several hours each weekday,

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