Paralyzed former Rutgers Defensive Tackle, motivational speaker, ESPN analyst, entrepreneur and ESPY winner Eric LeGrand is in the house for an insanely powerful episode of Reinvented! Jen and Eric discuss the tackle that changed his life and left him paralyzed from the neck down and how he defied the odds in rehabilitation and managed to hold onto his faith in God despite his seemingly impossible circumstances. Eric also shares why he became an entrepreneur and decided to start his own coffee business amid a global pandemic, his symbolic contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers including his thoughts on Tom Brady. They even get into his friendship with Tim Tebow, Jen's love for her alma mater, the Florida Gators – and Eric shares whether or not he would sign up for Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip as a potential cure for paralysis!
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REINVENTED With Paralyzed Former Defensive Tackle Eric LeGrand
JE: I am so excited to bring on my next guest. I get chills thinking about it because this show was created for people like him. Eric LeGrand is a former Rutgers University Defensive Tackle who was left paralyzed from the neck down after colliding with an Army football player during a fourth-quarter play at MetLife Stadium on October 16th, 2010. If you think getting paralyzed stopped this man, think again. Since his life-altering injury, Eric has shown the world that obstacles can be transformed into opportunities that can quite literally change the world. Eric chose to reinvent himself as an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, a sports analyst for ESPN, a philanthropist, and an author.
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JE: Eric, it is an honor having you on the show.
EL: Thank you so much for having me, Jen. Great introduction. I appreciate it.
JE: You can hire me as your publicist after this. Eric, your story does give me chills. I've known about you and your story for quite a while. After hearing specific details about your life and everything you're doing from our mutual pal, Jimmy Cheng, I was like, “This guy knows what it means to rebuild a life after fracturing your C3 and C4 vertebrae that left you paralyzed from the neck down.” Eric, if it's okay with you, I want to play a couple of sound bites of you speaking from a video on YouTube that ESPN put together that is powerful. Is that okay with you?
EL: Absolutely.
“No weather is perfect for football. There were five minutes left in the fourth quarter. I’m running down on the field, going down there to make a tackle a big game, just like I've done hundreds of times before.”
“What a great open-field hit by Eric LeGrand who is shaken up by the play.”
“It felt like a flash went off. Everything went silent in slow motion for a minute, and then all of a sudden, I was on the ground. I tried to get up, and I couldn't move. I was sitting there like, “What's going on? I can't breathe right now.” I blacked out. They explained the whole thing. “You fractured your C3 and C4 vertebrae and you were paralyzed.” I'll never be able to come off the ventilator, never be able to eat salad foods, never be able to walk again. They told me I'd never be able to live a normal life.”
JE: Here you are, in all your glory, living a great life. Eric, you had defied the odds as positive as you are and as amazed as everyone was by your sheer willpower. When were you laying there on that football field, not being able to move, and not knowing what the future held for you, what was going through your head? Take us through that moment.
EL: It's a scary moment because your whole life, you were training to go to the NFL. I started playing football when I was five years old. When you're twenty, you're lying on the field, and flashes on me goes off. I was like, “What just happened? Am I okay? Can I get up?” You can't breathe, and your coach is telling you to pray. You think your life is over. Many emotions went through my head in those seven minutes that I was laying on that turf before they carted me off. It was a whirlwind. It was to show you how your life can get flipped and turned upside down at a drop of a dime, and that's what it was. One second, I'm running full speed down the field. The next second, I'm waiting to step on a board. It's crazy to think about.
Your life can get flipped and turned upside down at the drop of a dime.
JE: While the initial prognosis was grim, you did shatter all expectations for your recovery and rehabilitation. There's a happy ending to this. Doctors, as you said in the video, told you that you'd never get off a ventilator, eat solid foods again, walk again, and live a normal life. You've defied the odds. How were you able to do it?
EL: One, through my faith. I was praying as much as possible back then and still do. My sheer determination and work ethic, and I say being an athlete, having an athlete's mentality, helped because I remember saying, “They told me I want to do this and that.” I'm like, “I'm going to defeat the odds. I'm going to get better. I want to control what I can control.”
Through my therapy sessions, I work hard and stay consistent. Everything else I leave in God's hands. Five weeks later, I was able to come off the ventilator and start breathing on my own. That got out on October 16th at Thanksgiving. I was able to eat a full, solid meal with my family. No tubes came out of me, and I started moving around a little bit more. I'm like, “If I'm doing this, this, and that after they told me I would never do it again, the sky is the limit.”
Eric LeGrand: The sky is the limit.
JE: Eric, you and I are one and the same because I love doing things people say I can't. It's like ammunition for me. When someone tells me I can't do it, that's when I go and do it. I take it as a challenge. I obviously see that same quality in you. I'm amazed by you because where others see despair, you see hope. That's a very rare quality for a person to have. I saw in an interview, in doing some research on you, where you said, and this is a direct quote, “I could count on two hands how many times I've cried in the aftermath of my injury.” That's not a lot of all, Eric. I cry every day. I do want to know, how do you do it? How do you manage to stay so overwhelmingly positive? What is your secret to all of it?
EL: I've been like this even before my injury. I've looked to the good of things and been that happy-go-lucky guy. I was the life of the party. When I enter the room, I’m like, “I'm here to have a good time.” We're going to laugh and joke around. It was never always putting people down and things like that. I never like controversy and negativity. When I got injured, I was twenty years old. I was like, “I can live for many more years. I don't want to be miserable, upset, and all out of it. I'm still going to be me.” The support then comes to you.
You have all these people believing in you and wishing you well. It rolled into a responsibility. I was like, “This is who I am. How can I give up on all these people that are looking up to me? I'm motivating them. This is my purpose, and I'm here for them.” That's how I stay upbeat. You also see a lot of other situations where people are in less fortunate situations than I am after their injury and don't have the same resources or the platform that I have. I'm sitting here like, “What do I have to complain about? Look what that person is going through.” It puts a lot of things into perspective.
JE: Life is so short. It's so precious. You know how to make the most out of an otherwise impossible situation. You received the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs in 2012. Even though that was back in 2012, I have to say congratulations. That's a huge deal, Eric. You wield yourself out onto that stage to a standing ovation. For my readers who don't know, the Jimmy V Award is given to somebody in sports who has overcome significant obstacles through perseverance and determination.
It is named for Jim Valvano, the North Carolina state coach, who gave an emotional acceptance speech at the 1993 ESPYs that included his famous words, “Don't ever give up.” Eric, most athletes, dream their entire lives of going to the ESPYs. It's like the Oscars of sports. An actor would dream of going to the Oscars. Walk us through what that moment felt like for you, going out onto that stage and seeing your mom there in tears. Describe that feeling for us.
EL: I need to describe a bit more of how everything was. I first get to the hotel, and you see some of the athletes, actors, and celebrities walking around. You see a few people point at me and they’re like, “I know that guy. That's the football player.” They look at you, and you give them a head nod and keep moving. I remember being with my friends, they're like, “You got your speech ready.” If anybody knows me, I don't write anything down. I don't have notes when I speak.
I speak from my heart every single time. I go and my friends are like, “No, this is too big of a speech. You got to write something down.” I’m like, “I got this.” They’re like, “Many people are watching.” I say, “Guys, trust me, I got this. I'll be all right.” They're all nervous about it. Finally, when it comes time to go out there, I roll on stage. I look at the front row and I see four people. I see Justin Tuck used to be within New York Giants, Eli Manning, Tim Tebow, and Kenny Chesney.
I'm like, “I'm not going to look in the front. I'm going to do all motivational speaker teaches, look to the back of the room right where you can't see anybody's eyes, and then go.” I then delivered my stories in the time that I had. The next you know, they have an after-party with all the people in the ESPYs. I go upstairs and can't even roll two feet without all these celebrities, actors, and athletes running up to me like, “Eric, can I get a picture with you?” I was like, “What is going on? This is amazing.” Bronk Brothers are running around trying to do shots with me. It was insane in a way that it blew up. Everyone wanted to be around me after that speech. It was something special.
JE: I’m still getting over the fact that Kenny Chesney was in the front row looking at you.
EL: He was chilling down at the front-row seat like, “Let me look back at you.”
JE: You did such an amazing job. How cool is it that you went out onto that stage with nothing prepared, no notes, nothing to go off of, no script? You spoke from the heart, and that speaks volumes of you. As I said, most athletes dream their whole life of going to something like that. Did any noteworthy athletes say something to you while you were there at the ESPYs that you'll always cherish and remember to this day?
EL: It's the amount of conversations I had there that weekend. Tim Tebow is one of the most genuine people ever. He's told me how he was praying for me. If I ever need anything, he's got my back. When I wrote my book, he put a quote in there for me at the top of it. He stuck to his word that if I ever needed something, he would do it. I'm a big Denver Broncos football fan. I got to go see him a few years later.
It was funny because you see Tim Tebow doing stuff on camera with kids sickly. I got to see him when there were no cameras around, hanging out with his family and playing catch with a kid. He might have been a cancer patient. That's genuine to know who he is. He came and spent some time with me. Remember, there are genuine people out there who are there to help you, guide you, and stick to their word, which is cool.
JE: I'm glad you mentioned Tim Tebow because my alma mater is the University of Florida. I'm a Gator gal. I bleed orange and blue. You said there are genuine people in the world, and let me tell you, they all reside in Gainesville, Florida.
EL: I think we got someone here at Rutgers University and New Brunswick.
Believe My Faith and the Tackle that Changed my Life
JE: He's a great guy, and I did see that he's quoted on the cover of your book. It's such a great title, Believe: My Faith and the Tackle That Changed My Life. Tim Tebow did have a quote on the top of your book calling you his friend, one of his heroes, and a true inspiration. What is it about your friendship with Tim that motivated you to put him on the cover of your book?
EL: When I was writing the book back in 2012, Tim Tebow was with the Broncos. I got to get to know him a little bit more. One of my wristbands said, “Champ The Moment.” It’s about the friendship, and then I saw him at the ESPYs, and I said, “You know who Tim Tebow is and what he stands for. He would be the perfect person for my book to put a quote on because of how he lives his life, his discipline, and the way that he sticks to his beliefs.”
JE: I have enormous respect for both him and you. As you know, it's not often that athletes are open about their faith. It's also not uncommon for people to get angry with God after something happens, whether they're severely injured or after losing a loved one. As a Christian woman, it even causes people to walk away from their faith altogether. It seems like you did the exact opposite. You leaned into your faith. Talk to me about your faith and the role it played in helping you to completely reinvent your life.
EL: When you're laying on a bed with a neck brace, tubes coming out of you, every which way monitors, and sounds going off, there's nothing else you can do but be like, “God, help me.” My aunt is a big devoted Christian, and my uncle was reading Bible verses to me, like Psalms 23. Being able to hear those words and messages uplifted me. The amount of prayers that were coming in, people telling me all the time.
People sent me pictures of praying at the churches when I first got here. I was like, “God does have his hand on me, and I will get through this.” I don't know what it was, but it made me feel a sense of comfortability. I was laying in that bed and I was like, “With all this stuff is going on, we'll be okay. I'm going to get through this.” It made me feel much better. It’s like a big zap came through me and like, “You're going to get through this. Control what you can control. God's got your back”.
JE: What a powerful message that you shared to everyone out there who is going through a difficult time and looks to someone like you as a source of inspiration. To this day, I do have a difficult time coming to terms with why bad things happen to good people. I plan on asking God at the end of my life like, “God, what's up? What's the deal here? Why is this happening?”
It's one thing to hear about something bad that's happened to someone and another for that person who has had something terrible happen to say, “It's okay. This happened for a reason. It's my mission to do something good in the world.” That's exactly what you're doing. You now fly all over the country. You give motivational speeches, and you're an author. Are there days when you are overcome with grief and sadness? If so, give some advice to my readers. What do you do on those down days to power through those difficult times? How do you shift your mindset and perspective?
EL: I don't have many grieving days. I do have days when I don't feel like doing anything. I need a day to myself to relax when I don't want to work, do email, or do therapy. I know I have all that stuff to do, but there are days I want to relax. I always try to help people, especially those who are going through tough times. Start doing something. Pick one thing every day that makes you happy, whether that's watching Netflix or Hulu on TV, walking the dog, or going to work out.
Eric LeGrand: Suppose you're going through a tough time. Start doing something. Pick one thing every day that makes you happy.
When you're going through that tough time, this and that work, or whatever stressing relationship, at least you know you have something to look forward to saying, “I got to do this work. If my wife and I are not getting along, we're going through it. I have this one thing that I can look forward to that's going to put a smile on my face.” It becomes a habit. Trained behavior becomes instinct. If you know you have at least one thing to look forward to, it can take you away from all that grief, disappointment, and stress because you have that one relief that's going to come to you to help you throughout the day. That's what I try to tell people.
JE: What a healthy outlook that is. I was even talking to a friend about how powerful our thoughts are. Thoughts become things, and if you live in this constant state of negativity, it's only a matter of time before it starts bleeding into your personal, professional, and romantic life. I am curious. You do have quite a substantial fan base and a large following of people who look up to you as this beacon of hope amid impossible circumstances. When talking to young boys, do you encourage them to still play football despite what happened to you?
EL: I do, especially nowadays. The way the NFL had put a lot of rules going down into the Pop Warner Leagues, these coaches now have to be certified to be able to coach. Back when I was growing up, Jimbo's dad get out there, and it was like, “Run full speed to each other and knock each other out.” Nowadays, they're teaching the proper techniques at a young age for these kids to tackle, so they're not hurting themselves or learning bad techniques when they get bigger, stronger, and faster. I always say football was the best teacher of life for me. It makes you work. You only get a few opportunities to play the game. Eight in high school football. 10 to 12 in college and you’re lucky to make it to NFL at sixteen.
What about all those other days that you are working your butt off for those sixteen minutes or one Saturday or Sunday afternoon? It makes you learn leadership, how to work together as a team, overcome adversity, be comfortable and uncomfortable. All the qualities that you need in the real world and life allow you to go out there and succeed. You learn from being an athlete, being a football player, and that's how you get done playing football.
In NFL, this is what I know and learned. I’m going to use all these characteristics I learned from playing football, whatever’s what it is, and put it into my job and relationship with my family. It’s going to make me a better person. I encourage young boys, “If you want to play, give it your all. Don’t go out there and think it’s a joke because you will get hurt. Respect the game and watch what the game will teach you.”
If you want to play, give it your all. Respect the game, and watch what the game will teach you.
JE: How incredible that, even after what happened to you, you still encourage them to respect the game, and if they love it, go and do it. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed you to a symbolic contract. The Buck’s first-year coach Greg Schiano, who left Rutgers for Tampa Bay, awarded you with this symbolic contract, which is damn cool. You are New Jersey-based. Do you support the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? I know that they had you come to address players at the team’s training complex at one point. Are there any roles or responsibilities to fulfill as part of a symbolic contract?
EL: I don’t have any roles. I got to sign on as the 90th man roster doing a training camp and be a part of the organization while coaches were down there. I went down there ten times while he was there for those two years, being around a team, getting to meet everybody, going to the games, and all that good stuff. I did retire. I saw my retirement papers three months after I signed. I had a nice little career signed, and then three months later, I retired it. It’s cool to be a part of the organization. I’m thankful to Coach Schiano and the Glazer family. They even think of me as having my dream come true even though I never played with Tampa Bay for NFL. I was a part of an NFL organization. I got to get the swag and everything. I told you I’m a diehard Denver Broncos fan, but when Tampa plays, I always do boo for them.
JE: Explain that to me. How does a New Jersey-based guy be a diehard Denver Broncos fan, but you also have a symbolic contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Walk me through that.
EL: I was about 7 or 8 years old. I was watching TV and the games came on whatever channel it was. They were showing Terrell Davis, the running back for the Denver Broncos, and John Elway was towards the end of his career. I played running back as well. I was watching him run the ball and I was like, “I like Terrell Davis. I like the blue and the orange. I’m going to follow him, and I’m following this team.” I told you when I stick to something. I’m loyal. They won back-to-back Super Bowl back then when I was a child. I was like, “This is my team.” Here I am, twenty-plus years later, still a diehard Denver Broncos fan. I will always root for Tampa.
JE: Is it safe to say that you rooted for Tom Brady in the Super Bowl? This is a safe space. If you didn’t, you could share. It’s okay. I won’t tail on you.
EL: I was rude to him because I was hoping that, somehow, a retired player could miraculously get a ring as well.
JE: How great is that? Did you hear the story about somebody paying $500,000 for the last football that Tom Brady threw in the Super Bowl, and now he is no longer retiring? What are your thoughts on that? I have to get Eric LeGrand’s perspective on that.
EL: It was his last touch-out throw.
JE: I don’t think the guy who purchased a football is laughing now.
EL: He paid $500,000 for it, and he’s like, “He’s about to come back and fill another 40 more. This is worthless now.” The best part about it was Jalen Ramsey, the cornerback from the Rams, got the touchdown thrown on him against Mike Evans. He tweeted, “I’m glad you’re coming back so I’m not the last person who got beat by you when you do that touchdown.” That highlight could go away now.
JE: There’s a funny story attached to the ball now. This was when he decided to retire and then unretire. I feel that could only be funny for so long. The guy has got to be upset about losing $500,000.
EL: I’m hoping that it’s one of those guys that it probably might not be too much money if he throws up $500,000 for a football. More power to you, Tom.
JE: I guess it’s safe to say you’re a Tom Brady fan.
EL: We’re cool. We had a lot of battles between New England and Denver, especially when Peyton Manning was there.
JE: This is a safe space. I will proudly say I’m not a New England Patriots fan. I’m from Miami, Florida, born and raised. I’m like a Dolphin’s girl, except the Dolphins haven’t been that great. I am a Denver Broncos fan. My brother James is an engineer. He’s based out of Denver, Colorado, and he lives not far from the training facility where the Broncos train. Eric, if you’re ever in the Denver area, we should go over and watch them practice. They could probably use a pep talk from you.
EL: I will take you up on it, Jen. It’s so crazy of how my love-hate for New England. With Denver, they’re always battling against each other in AFC. I don’t like it. Bill Belichick drafted all the Rutgers people. We all end up in New England somehow. I feel like if I never got hurt, I somehow would’ve been in New England. At one point, when the coaches in Tampa and Bill Belichick were up in New England, they did a joint practice, and there were sixteen guys on the roster between both teams from Rutgers. I was like, “I like that, but at the same time, don’t beat us.”
JE: Eric, we’re all about reinvention here on the show. You are a football player turned motivational speaker turned author and philanthropist. I have to tell my readers that you’re also an established entrepreneur, which I’m going to get to in a second. Your philanthropic organization, Team LeGrand, has raised well over $2 million for the Reeve Foundation. You are also recognized by Sports Illustrated with its 2011 Best Moment Award and inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017, receiving the Warrior Award. I had Chris Jericho, a big-time and former WWE and current AEW superstar, on this show not long ago. How does that work? How do you receive the Warrior Award for the WWE?
EL: It’s funny you brought up Chris Jericho because my sister used to put pictures of him in his wrestling as a kid. It made me tap out when I was acting bad when I was young. I believe his mom had a spinal cord injury as well. I remember talking to him at the Hall of Fame about that. It was crazy how that got connected. I did a TV or digital show with Fox Sports called Mission Possible, where I was the host, and we would go through people’s life. That was with some adversity, disability, and being able to share their story on the platfor’ and have them meet someone they would love to meet. We did a special with this kid. We went up to the WWE headquarters, and he got to meet Triple H and everything.
Ever since then, we developed a relationship with the WWE, and they learned more about my story. Next thing you know, I was getting a call from the WWE saying, “We know you had much of a fan when you were a kid growing up. We want to induct you into the Hall of Fame with the Warrior Award. I was excited. I was like, “That’s the WWE.” I’m not going to lie to you. My goal was to have a drink with Ric Flair.
JE: Did you accomplish that goal?
EL: We got there Thursday evening and went to drop off our bags. Before we even got to the elevator, Ric Flair saw Belichick and dragged me over right to the bar. It was insane. It was a good night I had with Ric Flair before I even put my suitcases in the room.
JE: What a story. You’re filled with stories, Eric LeGrand. That’s awesome.
EL: Too many wild ones, but they’re all fun.
JE: Out of all these things that you’ve accomplished, like the Warrior Award, Sports Illustrated Best Moment Award, ESPY, and you’ve raised over $2 million for the Reeve Foundation, you do so much. Is there any one particular thing that you miss that you want to be able to do but can’t?
EL: The biggest thing I miss is honestly being in the locker room with the guys, whether that’s in college or the NFL. I’ll tell you what, Jen. There’s nothing like being in the locker room after a hard practice or a big win. That’s what I miss most out of everything because the celebration that goes on, laughing, and joking around, is truly something special. That’s what brotherhoods are. It’s funny when games end and stuff on TV, I’m like, “I can’t imagine what the locker room looks like.” I was a hype man. After wins, they would come to me. I would have to get everyone going and get the chance going and stuff like that. That’s what I think about and miss at certain times and moments.
There's nothing like being in the locker room after a hard practice or a big win.
JE: I also wonder what that locker room would be like. I said it when St. Peter’s beat Kentucky in the NCAA tournament for March Madness. I was like, “What? This No Name Jersey school?” No offense to St. Peter’s. I come from a big football school, the University of Florida. I always root for the underdog. That was quite the upset. I’m not sure if you caught that.
EL: It sure was. My best friend, growing up, is playing basketball at St. Peter’s. I was at Rutgers and he played basketball at St. Peter’s. Both of individualized scholarships. Our group message was on fire with about the whole thing.
JE: I always root for the underdog. It was empowering seeing that. To me, that’s a classic David versus Goliath story, seeing the little dog come out on top victoriously.
EL: That’s what you love to see. In the NCAA tournament, those moments, like the broadcasters and the music, emphasizes it more. It’s so cool.
JE: Not to be down on the NFL or anything, but I’ve always thought if I had to choose, I would pick college sports over the NFL. My main reason is quite simple. I find that there’s more heart in the sport. It’s not for the money, the contract, or the paycheck, but there’s so much heart and love for the sport. Have you found that to be true in your experience playing at Rutgers?
EL: In the NFL, they have the game and the business side because as much money as these players are making and off the field things that they're doing, you have to be conscious about that as well, which I understand. In college, with the media now, they're trying to get into NFL. They're putting everything into it with their blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice to get to that level.
JE: I mentioned earlier that you are an established entrepreneur, which I think is cool. Again, is there anything you don't do, Eric LeGrande? Most people picked up different hobbies during COVID back in 2020. During the lockdown, I learned to paint and cook. You started your own coffee brand. Thanks for making us all look bad, Eric. Talk to me about LeGrande Coffee House and what inspired you to get into that business.
EL: Before the pandemic, I do speaking engagements. I go to events and everything with a spinal cord injury. I have secondary complications that I have to be aware of. I had to hunker down in my house, and I'm like, “I started listening to Audiobooks. I watched probably every Netflix series that there.” You look for other things to do.
EL: I started to listen to Audiobooks and one that stuck out to me was Shoe Dog by Phil Knight on how he created Nike. When I was growing up, Nike was Nike. I didn't know that Adidas and Puma came before that. All the troubles and struggles that he went through to be able to make Nike what it is now. I was listening to something, and I'm like, “This is inspiring.” People look to me for motivation, inspiration, and uplifting. I have Shop Fifty Two, which is my T-shirt line. How often do you wear a T-shirt? Every 2, 3, or 4 weeks then get they run? What do people want and what do people need? Coffee. I said I'm going to educate myself and learn about it. I hire a business advisor. I had my first cup of coffee in August 2020 and I've been missing out on some good stuff.
What do people want, and what do people need? Coffee.
JE: 2020 was the first time you had ever had a cup of coffee.
EL: First time I ever had a cup of coffee was in August 2020.
JE: Now you have your own coffee business.
EL: Yes. I said, “This stuff is amazing.” We will be able to launch our online store in January 2021. We sold in 49 out of 50 states to build a brand in-house. Brick nd mortar will be opening up in May 2022 in my hometown of Woodbridge. It’s going to be a party.
JE: Can I be at the opening ceremony? I love coffee.
EL: You are invited to the opening of LeGrand Coffee House.
JE: Legrande Coffee House, 10 Green Street in Woodbridge, New Jersey. When is that opening? I want to tell my audience, especially the people in the tri-state area, who will come over.
EL: We’re looking for Saturday of mid-May 2022.
JE: A sunny, happy Saturday in mid-May 2022. May 2nd is my birthday. It is a great month. Thanks for honoring my birthday month, Eric.
EL: We need a home up to celebrate it.
JE: Where do you source your coffee grounds from? Are they locally? I’m just curious.
EL: I have a place locally here in New Jersey to get some imported from all over the place. We have four roasts in Columbian, Costa Rican and Guatemala. I have some Rutgers guys that I’m working with that are doing my roasting for me, and we ship it out to the United States. We get it out there to everybody. It’s been a fun journey.
JE: As I said, it’s one thing to pick up a peculiar hobby during lockdown amid a global pandemic. It’s another to open a small business, which is what you did. I have so much respect for that. What are your long-term goals for LeGrand Coffee? Do you want to break into grocery stores or take it nationwide?
Eric LeGrand: It's one thing to pick up a peculiar hobby amid a global pandemic. It's another to open a small business.
EL: I’m trying to make this into a nice empire. We’ve had conversations with grocery stores. I’m already working those deals out. I did a stadium deal with Rutgers and we sold in the football stadium in 2022. I’m looking forward to doing more of those. I can’t wait to open up more and, hopefully, one day, franchise these all over the place.
JE: I’m a big Black Rifle Coffee gal. I love the taste of their coffee because it’s strong. I can’t wait to try LeGrand Coffee.
EL: I got some strong stuff.
JE: We can’t wait. I tip my hat and my cup to you. I can’t wait to have a daily cup of believe as a reminder to attack my goals each and every day. It’s awesome. Shifting gears here for a second, I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you this. I met with Elon Musk during my time working as a national network news journalist for nearly a decade. The guy walked in, with no entourage, no assistant with him, wasn’t wearing a suit, looked me right in the eye, shook my hand, and we spoke for ten minutes. You look at a self-made billionaire guy. You think that they’re unapproachable, and he couldn’t have been nicer. I know that I saw in the news that he’s using Neuralink implants in human patients in 2022.
He t’ld the Wall Street Journal this in a December 2021 interview. Neuralink devices are still awaiting FDA approval, and the device is working well and can be safely used and removed in monkeys. What is so fascinating to me, Eric, and I’m sure you agree with me is that Neuralink is expected to be first used in patients with spinal cord injuries. I’m looking at this guy, Elon Musk, and be like, “If anybody could help spinal cord injury patients, people who are paralyzed, it’s this guy.” He did say, “I think we have a chance with Neuralink to restore full body functionality to someone who has a spinal cord injury.” If given the opportunity that Elon Musk was sitting in front of you, would you sign up for a Neuralink implant?
EL: I would do all my due diligence in my research because, in my lifetime, I truly believe that we are going to find something, whether that's Elon Musk's finding it or all the other different scientists and doctors working on it. Believe me. I'm keeping my eyes wide open. I know that there's something bigger to come out of this whole situation happen for me, and I can't wait for whatever it is.
If it's a Neuralink, epidural stimulator, or stem cells that one day I'm able to go back to MetLife Stadium, get back down on that 25-yard line, pop up and walk off that field, I can't wait for that day. I'm so thankful for where we are with technology like Elon Musk and his team doing his research, all the neuroscientists, and everyone out. It's going to be game-changing, not only for me but for spinal cord injury patients, cerebral palsy and much more. As you can see, Jen, I'm excited.
JE:The future is exciting and science is changing rapidly. It is safe to say yes on the record that you would sign up for a Neuralink implant for Elon Musk.
EL: Probably.
JE: Maybe he’ll put you on one of his spaceships too. Would you sign up to voluntarily go to space?
EL: I was thinking about that. I imagine that would be fun.
JE: You’ve made history, Eric LeGrand. You’ve shattered barriers and expectations. You’ve defied the odds. I’m just saying you could be the first paralyzed football player to be in space.
EL: Do you imagine I’m floating out there in space?
JE: You did say that the sky is the limit at the very start of this interview.
EL: It sure is.
JE: You have vowed to walk again, and that’s so powerful. Do you still hold onto that belief that one day you will walk again?
EL: I do. I’ve gained back a lot. I told you in the very beginning about the movement of my shoulders, breathing, eating, and all that stuff. I try to explain to people, “It’s keeping my body ready for when that cure comes.” It’s like how a regular able body person goes to the gym. They work out and keep their body strong and fit. It’s the same with me. I’m not moving like an able body person but I need to keep myself strong. I’m doing my exercises, so when that cure does come, I’m healthy and strong enough to be able to do the studies and be a part of them. If not, I’m like, “If I have health issues, I won’t be able to do it.” That’s what I have I work on.
JE: You have an army of men and women behind you, supporting you and cheering you on. Again, you continue to defy the odds and be a source of inspiration to many people who look up to you. Thank you, Eric, for taking the time to come to the show to share a little about your story and journey with all these hats you’re wearing, the Warrior Award, becoming an entrepreneur, and starting a whole brand amid a global pandemic. You are a force to be reckoned with. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you.
EL: Jen, I appreciate you having me on and letting me be able to share my story a little. I hope you and everyone else reading are a little bit inspired to go out there and be the best they can be.
JE: Keep reinventing and keep doing it. To all my readers, be sure to rate, review and subscribe to this show. That's available wherever you tune in. Spotify, Apple, YouTube, you name it, it's there. That was Eric LeGrand. Thank you.
Important Links
Chris Jericho – Previous Episode
Spotify – Reinvented
Apple – Reinvented
YouTube – Jennifer Eckhart