LeGrand responsive, but with long way to go
Rutgers Scarlet Knight defensive tackle Eric LeGrand, who was paralyzed from the neck down in a game against the Army Black Knights on 16 October, remains in the intensive care unit, but is now responsive.
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has been visiting LeGrand everyday for the past week and says that the youngster is now responsive, but still does not have any feeling below his neck. Schiano stressed that LeGrand had not been in the hospital long and still
has a long way to go to recovery.
“He goes through different periods. There are medications that have to be administered. He has been very responsive at times and very aware,” said the head coach. “He knows. I have tried to keep him informed. It’s only been, even though it feels like a number
of days, it’s only been a few days.”
LeGrand suffered the injury on a kick-off return play late in the fourth quarter of his club’s game against Army. Rutgers would go on to win the game in overtime, but only after LeGrand was taken off the field on a stretcher and brought to Hackensack University
Medical Centre.
Schiano said that he reached out to Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Joe Paterno for advice, as the young coach was on his staff in the early 90’s. Paterno dealt with a similar situation when youngster Adam Taliaferro sustained the same type of injury
and was able to walk five months later.
Paterno told Schiano to simply make himself available to friends and family, something he has made sure to do over the past week.
Schiano said that the team has come together to try and make LeGrand’s recovery as easy for him as possible, with a reported 50 visitors travelling to the hospital on Monday alone.
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