Sports Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Eric LeGrand Is Helping To Change Our World
Distribution — I didn’t know that you had to find a distributor in each state. You have to apply to each state, each one has their own rules and regulations.
As a part of our series about sports stars who are making a social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Eric LeGrand.
Eric LeGrand is a former Rutgers University football player who sustained a spinal cord injury while playing at MetLife Stadium in 2010. Since his injury, he has become an author, sports analyst for ESPN, Sirius, the Big Ten Network and Rutgers radio, a motivational speaker and entrepreneur. He’s the owner of LeGrand Coffee House, co-founder of Eric LeGrand Bourbon, founder of Team LeGrand and host of “A Cup of bELieve” podcast.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you share with us the “backstory” that led you to your career path in professional sports?
I played three sports growing up: football, baseball and basketball. When I started high school, I got to play my last 3 games on the varsity football team as a freshman then I got a written scholarship offer from Rutgers University during the off season. I knew that football was going to be my path once I got offered a full scholarship as a freshman.
Can you share the most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career? What were the lessons or takeaways that you took out of that story?
The most interesting story during my football career was when I was injured while playing football for Rutgers University. In October 2010, we were playing Army at MetLife Stadium and while making a tackle, I fractured my C3 and C4 vertebrae which left me paralyzed from the chest down. It turned my life upside down and I didn’t know what my plan would be without football in my life. My injury gave me perspective, a new attitude to appreciate everything in life, not to take things for granted and it showed me how quickly life can change. I learned to live life to the fullest because it can all be taken away.
What would you advise a young person who wants to emulate your success?
I would say to commit yourself to excellence no matter what you do. Whether it’s in sports, business or school, you have to commit yourself to excellence and stay focused on the task at hand. I’d also say that staying disciplined when the newness of an idea wears off is the pathway to success.
Is there a person that made a profound impact on your life? Can you share a story?
My mom, from the time I was born to now, has made a profound impact on my life. We were always close but my injury brought us closer because I’m with her a lot and seeing how much she has sacrificed for my sister and I has been a true inspiration.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about what it is like being a professional sports player?
People think that maintaining the level of discipline that professional athletes have is easy. It’s easier said than done, only a few can do it and you have to work on it everyday. Athletes don’t get as much social time and have to make many sacrifices for sports.
Ok super. Let’s now move to the main part of our discussion. How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting causes you are working on right now?
In 2013, I launched “Team LeGrand” a partnership program with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The foundation supports those living with and impacted by paralysis by finding the cure for spinal cord injuries. I’ve raised $3 million for the foundation and I launched my brand, Eric LeGrand Bourbon in March 2023. We donate $5.20 of every case of the bourbon sold to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and in March 2024, I presented the first check of $9,064.
What methods are you using to most effectively share your cause with the world?
Outside of raising money for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, I do motivational speaking on a regular basis, I offer guidance to people who are going through adversity in life to motivate them to do good in this world. It helps the 5.6 million Americans who are dealing with some form paralysis to know that someone is fighting for them.
Can you share with us the story behind why you chose to take up this particular cause?
Two years after my injury, so many people would ask about ways that they can help me. I wanted to help more people because I got introduced into a world that I didn’t know anything about. Seeing the good, bad and ugly of this injury and what it does to people and their families made me want to give back, especially with the new platform that I had. That’s when the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation came along and the rest was history.
Can you share with us a story about a person who was impacted by your cause?
My good friend Mikey Nichols, he was a hockey player at Monroe High School who got injured during his senior year. He didn’t know if he would make it and we became very good friends! He started his own foundation “Mikey Strong” and raised a bunch of money for spinal cord injury research. It’s been really cool to see him grow his foundation too.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
- Patience — It takes time to find bourbon, getting the right flavor and notes.
- Legalities — The legalities of starting a spirits company and everything that goes into one. Things that go on behind the scenes like bottling, taxes etc. that people don’t know about were a big surprise.
- Friendships — Your friends aren’t always your friends when it comes to doing business together. Some people will support you and some won’t.
- Distribution — I didn’t know that you had to find a distributor in each state. You have to apply to each state, each one has their own rules and regulations.
- Aging Bourbon — I didn’t know that when bourbon starts off its clear then as it ages in the barrel it gets its brown color. When I started learning more about the process I learned this.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
My goal is to write the biggest check to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and live in a world of empty wheelchairs.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you explain how that was relevant in your life?
“Success is the peace of mind you get knowing you did everything you could to be the best you could be.” This was embedded in our minds at Rutgers, you’re the only person who can tell yourself that you gave something your all that day or you didn’t. God willing, you have the opportunity to wake up the next day, you get to say “today I’m going to make it my best day” and you get to do it over and over again. You watch the habits that you create, the people who gravitate towards you and who you influence.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Politics, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
I’d love to sit down with The Rock to hear how he went from his beginnings to how he lives his life now. To hear how he runs his businesses and balances everything.
How can our readers follow you online?
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericlegrand52/
Thank you so much for these amazing insights. This was so inspiring.
Sports Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Eric LeGrand Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.