HOLMDEL, NJ — Eric LeGrand and Holmdel are becoming a team of their own.
He visited here in November to give a talk at the Holmdel Library before a big crowd about his book "Believe: My Faith and the Tackle That Changed My Life."
Now LeGrand will be back at Bell Works on Thursday night, Feb. 29, for a tasting of his own brand of bourbon - and it's all for a cause close to his heart.
Team LeGrand raises funds to then donate to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to support paralysis support and research.
The free event is 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bell Works Atrium, near Bar Bella, organizers say.
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LeGrand was in his junior season at Rutgers in 2010, at a game where the Rutgers Scarlet Knights played Army. After a stellar college career as a defensive tackle, he suffered a spinal injury in a game that changed the trajectory of his life.
Now, he is dedicated to raising funds and awareness about paralysis, says former Township Committeeman and Mayor Greg Buontempo.
Buontempo is coordinating the event Feb. 29, working with Ralph Zucker, the Bell Works owner. Zucker will donate $5,200 to Team LeGrand in honor of his number - 52 - to kick off the event, said Buontempo.
There is no fee to enter the event and the tasting is free, Buontempo said. But there will be a charge for specialty cocktails curated by LeGrand. And he also has full bottles of his bourbon for sale - again to support the fundraiser.
Additionally, he will bring three bottles to be raffled off at the event, Buontempo said.
"Everything he does is to help people with paralysis, now and in the future," Buontempo said of LeGrand. And LeGrand's positive attitude was an inspiration to many who attended the Holmdel Library event, Buontempo added.
Proceeds all go to Team LeGrand and the Reeve Foundation.
The Eric LeGrand Kentucky Straight Bourbon was developed with business partner Brian Axelrod, and it's sold at Rutgers games. The business donates $5.20 of every case sold to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
And the story of the bourbon enterprise is personal.
"Eric hopes to dispel the misconception that those living with paralysis cannot enjoy life’s finer pleasures. While Eric’s path has been an arduous one, he reminds himself to celebrate his victories and encourages others to toast their own triumphs daily," his bourbon website says.
"As Eric learned more about the journey of a Kentucky Straight Bourbon, he found that the precision when creating the mash bill, the patience required during the barrel aging process, and the trust in the overall process paralleled the precision, patience, and trust required in his own grueling recovery," the site says.
And LeGrand, a Woodbridge native and resident, has developed in many other areas.
He has a career as a mentor, motivational speaker, as well as a businessman. He also opened a coffeeshop by the Woodbridge train station.
And LeGrand is a sports analyst for ESPN, Sirius, the Big Ten Network and Rutgers radio.