Hudson Valley Major Leaguer To Honor Paralyzed Man
It’s easy to “Believe” that this Hudson Valley resident, who is now playing in the big leagues, is making a heartwarming and incredible gesture to his paralyzed friend.
This weekend, during the first Major League Baseball Players Weekend, West Nyack resident Patrick Kivlehan will honor his college football teammate, Eric LeGrand, by wearing “Believe” on the back of his Cincinnati Reds jersey.
LeGrand was paralyzed in 2010 during a football game against Army at Yankee Stadium. After his injury, LeGrand made “Believe” his motto, as he truly believes he will help find a cure for paralysis and will one day walk again.
MLB Players Weekend is designed to allow players to express themselves by allowing each player to pick a nickname that will be placed on the back of their jersey.
Kivlehan, a two-sport athlete at Rutgers, doesn’t have a nickname. So, after some thought, he decided he would honor his friend and former teammate with "Believe."
"There's nobody that has worked harder than him. The mindset that he has instilled in other people through his journey and his battle, when you see his story it puts life in perspective,” Kivlehan told NJ.com. “You realize you can get through things, too, if you believe you can."
Kivlehan and LeGrand were teammates at Rutgers for three seasons and lived in the same dorm. Before honoring LeGrand, Kivlehan texted his friend for approval.
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