Hope Happens Here: Karen LeGrand
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Become an AdvocateEventually, Eric grew stronger and returned to Rutgers to finish his degree. Karen spent hours driving him back and forth from classes on campus to his therapy sessions at Kessler Rehabilitation Institute. When he started doing radio broadcasts and speaking engagements, she handled the paperwork and added more stops to their busy days.
“I was the caregiver and then the chauffeur and then the business manager,” she says, laughing. “I kept putting on another hat.”
Over the next decade, the future Karen hoped for arrived as Eric built an expansive life filled with ambitious plans and big dreams. He’s now a broadcaster, motivational speaker and entrepreneur who launched his most recent venture, LeGrand Whiskey, as a reminder that life’s triumphs should be celebrated.
His mother agrees with the sentiment; watching her son achieve each new success has been her greatest reward.
The accident changed both of their lives – but in many ways, Karen believes they’ve been lucky. Eric’s determination to chase the life he wanted allowed him to adapt and thrive after his injury. And she was able to be the invisible thread that helped him stitch that new life together because she had what every caregiver needs: support. From her family and friends and neighbors, from Rutgers and the Reeve Foundation.
“I was never alone,” she says. “Not everyone is so lucky.”
Though the challenges of the injury ebb and flow, these days Karen feels grateful for a new steadiness. She recently got a puppy named Barrel who is sure to add both joy and chaos to her days, and Eric is busier than ever. Life feels full – and happy.
“I’m at a place where I can say I’m good,” she says, adding, “And it’s all worth it. If Eric is healthy, if he's thriving, if he’s happy. To be honest, that's my main concern. So, I’m okay. I’m okay.”
The National Paralysis Resource Center offers many free resources for caregivers, including a peer mentor program. For more information, please visit the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation website at www.ChristopherReeve.org or call our Information Specialists, available Mon-Fri, 7am-12am ET, at 1-800-539-7309.
To learn more about Eric LeGrand and support Team LeGrand’s efforts to raise funds for spinal cord injury research, visit here.