Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was paralyzed below the neck, following a collision with an Army player during Saturday night’s game. LeGrand, a junior from New Jersey, underwent emergency surgery and was in intensive care after the top of his helmet slammed into the other player’s left shoulder. We see this all the time in football games and hate when it happens–especially when a young person’s promising career is cut short after an accident.
Following the accident the Rutgers coach said, ‘Eric’s spirits were as good as you can expect. He’s a fighter.” That is great to hear as Eric’s story is both inspirational and tragic; he will survive an incredibly serious injury and continue to live a great life.
We always remember those moments in sports when you see the unexpected, like Detroit Lions offensive lineman Mike Utley giving the thumbs up after he suffered a career-ending injury. These inspirational moments are common in sports; they remind us that the game is real and it hurts.
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Kevin Everett
On September 9, 2007, Everett sustained a fracture and dislocation of his cervical spine that his doctors characterized as ‘life-threatening’ the day after the injury. They stated that the injury was likely to leave him with permanent neurological impairment. However, on September 11, 2007, Everett showed significant movement in his arms and legs, which led doctors to speculate that he might eventually be able to walk again.
Indeed, Everett walked in public for the first time at Ralph Wilson Stadium before the home finale against the New York Giants on December 23, 2007.
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Mike Utley
In his third year with the Detroit Lions, Utley started every game and was the full-time right guard until a paralysis injury forced him to retire.
The injury to his sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae occurred in a game against the LA Rams on November 17, 1991. While he was carted off the field, Utley flashed the crowd a ‘thumbs up’.
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Matt Brown
Matt Brown, a Norwood High School hockey player, was hurt in
