Donation to Team LeGrand

Teagan and M.B. Paradise with Eric LeGrand- A Walk to bELieve, June 4, 2022

A percentage of book sales will be donated to Team LeGrand.

What is Team LeGrand and why am I supporting this cause?

Eric LeGrand is a former Rutgers football player that sustained a spinal cord injury. In 2013, he launched Team LeGrand, a fundraising arm of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation dedicated to supporting quality of life initiatives and accelerating the discovery of treatments and cures for spinal cord injuries. I am supporting this cause because:

  1. My cousin, Becky, was paralyzed and wheelchair accessibility was an issue for her in certain environments.
  2. I am a Rutgers grad and sports fan, so I’m familiar with Eric LeGrand’s story. He continues to raise awareness and money for spinal cord injury (SCI) research and inspire others. My humble hope is to make a significant contribution to this effort.
  3. I’m a certified athletic trainer and I know that, in many instances, an athlete’s identity is strongly tied to their sport. Overcoming injury is very difficult on a physical and psychological level. So, for LeGrand to sustain an injury of this magnitude and then go on to support and inspire others, to fundraise for SCI, and to start MULTIPLE businesses…I think is extraordinary.
  4. Lastly, giving back, through this book, is a way to honor my parents who, despite not having much, were two of the most generous people one could ever meet.

Please click link to see my guest blog post on the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation website: https://www.christopherreeve.org/blog/daily-dose/grace-and-grit

M.B. and John Paradise in Wall, NJ with Eric LeGrand after one of his motivational speeches, Dec. 6, 2014