Former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand is thanking his mom for helping him become the man he is today.
The former defensive tackle thanked his mother for dedicating her life to him following his paralyzing 2010 injury in a public letter published Wednesday on TheMighty.com.
“You’ve dedicated your life to helping me be great and be the man that I am today, and I cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me,” he says to his mother, Karen LeGrand.
Eric LeGrand was paralyzed from the neck down while making a tackle on a kickoff in a game against Army.
In his heartfelt letter, he thanks his mother for quitting her job to devote her time to taking care of him. He recounts how she slept on a tiny cot at the Kessler Institute in West Orange, New Jersey, for five months while he was in treatment. He describes how she dealt with his nurses, made sure his medical supplies were delivered on time, and took him to therapy sessions and speaking engagements.
He also remembers how she drove him to a bar and waited up for him until 3 a.m. so he could be with his friends and enjoy life as a 20-year-old.
“Without you, I don’t know what I would do because you make life so much easier,” Eric LeGrand tells his mom.
Eric LeGrand was initially given a 0-to-5 percent chance of regaining neurological function following the injury. He is now making strides in the road to recovery – in April he tweeted a video showing him bending forward while sitting in his wheelchair.
The inspirational 25-year-old ends the letter by saying that even though they argue “about 35 times a day,” he knows she’s looking out for him and he couldn’t ask for anything more.
“Thank you for everything you do for me, Mama Dukes. I love you,” he says.
A Bucks County teen discovered a razor blade hidden inside a piece of Halloween candy, authorities said.
Jennifer Ruszin posted a photo on Facebook of the razor blade her daughter's best friend found in a candy bar she got while trick or treating in Bristol Borough. The blade was found in a miniature Hershey's chocolate bar, which Ruszin said the teen picked up near a video store off of Radcliffe Avenue. She said that the candy bar has a wrapper that can be easily opened and re-glued to hide any evidence of tampering.
Skeptical community members called Ruszin out for discrepancies, like how the razor blade appears too large to fit inside the candy without being noticed, or how there are no apparent bite marks in the candy despite Ruszin's claim that the girl discovered the blade after taking a bite.
However, other commenters did not believe the mother put up the post with malicious intent, and instead commended Ruszin for spreading the word.
Bristol Borough Police Chief Arnold Porter told NBC10 that there is no video store along Radcliffe Avenue, but police are still investigating the report filed by Ruszin Tuesday night.
This report is not the first of its kind. A teen in Indiana, PA faked a story about finding a razor blade in a piece of Halloween candy, but only after self-inflicting a wound inside her mouth that required 23 stitches to close. A young boy in Forth Worth, TX noticed a small hole in the bottom of his Reese's peanut butter cup packaging, only to discover that staples had been inserted through the wrapper.
John O’Hurley has been the human face of the National Dog Show Presented by Purina© since its debut on NBC Thanksgiving Day, 2002. Fourteen years later, his presence in America’s living rooms has become a holiday tradition. Best known for his role as J. Peterman on “Seinfeld” and his turn as Ultimate Champion of the inaugural “Dancing with the Stars,” O’Hurley is also the author of three books about dogs. His most recent, The Perfect Dog, has been adapted for children’s theater and is now being produced across the country. His special touch makes the National Dog Show experience one that over 20 million total viewers look forward to each year. Here’s an inside look at John’s viewpoint on dog shows and the enriching role of dogs in our lives.
Q: John, you come to Philadelphia every year for the Kennel Club of Philadelphia shows and The National Dog Show Presented by Purina. How do you like your annual trip to the City of Brotherly Love.
JOH: Very simply, it is my favorite day of the year. Walking around the benching area with 1,500 dogs bringing enormous energy into the room is an experience unlike any other. I bring my family every year and it has become a major highlight for us and it has become a major event now in Philadelphia, one of America’s great cities.
Q: As you know, the movie “Best in Show” poked fun at the dog show world and that is a world that you are now very much a part of. What kind of input have you received from people over the years about the movie, which inspired the creation of “The National Dog Show?”
JOH: People always ask – are the owners really as crazy as they were parodied in the movie? I always answer that real shows are often family events. Real owners learn how to get out of the way of their dogs and let them take the spotlight. The movie was a wonderful sendup of the rich history of the Dog Show world. I am a poor replacement for the talent of Fred Willard, but I strive to live in his shadow. Most people who have seen the movie are grateful that we present a show that is as much fun to watch as it is educational.
Q: People are always asking you what your favorite breeds are. Can you choose just a couple?
JOH: For the purposes of the show, I love the Irish Setter, and every year I make no apologies for my prejudice. Their color, gait and grooming make wonderful television.
Q: What is your favorite memory of the show, on or off camera?
JOH: My first year, when the judge was picking through the hair on the face of the English Sheep Dog, and (expert analyst) David (Frei) was remarking that the judge was looking for the eyes to gauge the dog’s attentiveness. I remarked, “If she picks through all that hair and finds only one eye, she’s got the wrong end of the dog.”
Q: Why do you think viewers are so attracted to the National Dog Show two-hour special on NBC?
JOH: It is a family show, about the family dog, on Thanksgiving, the greatest family day of the year. It is a brilliant piece of television programming. There is something for everyone of all ages.
Q: Who are the most memorable people that you’ve met during these past thirteen years?
JOH: All of my great memories are about the dogs. A dog worthy of Best In Show looks different and carries itself differently, but whether they win or lose, they’re happy with themselves. They love being dogs, and they love being the dogs that they are, which is a wonderful lesson for all of us.
Q: What would you be doing on Thanksgiving Day if there were no “National Dog Show?”
JOH: I would be watching reruns of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ on Thanksgiving Day from my home. I’d be referring to dogs by their color and size, and have a working knowledge of maybe two breeds. But 14 years of ‘The National Dog Show’ has given my wife and I a wealth of knowledge about God’s great creatures and the extraordinary experience of spending Thanksgiving week in New York City. We are so grateful for all.
Q: In the fourteen years since you began hosting “The National Dog Show,” you’ve written three books about dogs. Was the show your inspiration?
JOH: Absolutely, but I was also inspired by my own dogs, Sadie (a Cavalier King Charles spaniel) and Lucy (a Havenese) as well as my son, Will, who will be nine this year. As a matter of fact, my latest book, “The Perfect Dog,” was an outgrowth of a poem I wrote when Will asked whether a perfect dog existed.
Q: I read once that you are a true convert to the Havanese breed? Still a huge fan?
JOH: You know, we have the two, they’re kind of like Tweedledee and Tweedledum, but as every year goes by, we fall more in love with the Havanese. They’re such great dogs. My brother’s family lost one of their dogs last year and they went to the same breeder we went to in Colorado and picked out a gorgeous puppy. They feel the same way we do. They’re just a great little breed – not as yippy as the Maltese, very family friendly and very smart. Best of all, they don’t shed and they’re pretty much hypoallergenic. They’re great dogs.
Q: So, John, after all these years hosting “The National Dog Show,” does the “perfect dog” exist?
JOH: It certainly does. It’s the one next to you on the couch.
The "National Dog Show Presented by Purina" on NBC Thanksgiving Day has brought some tremendous visibility to the Kennel Club of Philadelphia (KCP) and its 100-year tradition of hosting the all-breed confirmation shows in America’s fourth-largest market.
This year, the KCP shows are set for Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks. Tickets are available at the door or online at www.nationaldogshow.com.
For its part, the KCP has established “National Dog Show Month” in Philadelphia, starting with a charity fundraising walk on Oct. 10 and including the social highlight of the weekend — The National Dog Show Gala — to kick off the weekend with a celebration of the dogs in our lives.
The third annual National Dog Show Gala is set for Friday night, November 13, at the Valley Forge Casino thanks to the efforts of the Casino and National Dog Show media partner 95.7 BEN FM, Philadelphia’s Adult Hits station. The event is open to the public with $200 tickets available for purchase, proceeds to the benefiting charities, Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House and Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). Visit www.nationaldogshowcharities.org to learn more and purchase tickets.
The event with be hosted by NBC10 meteorologist Sheena Parveen, who is featured in the dog show promotional spots on the station, along with 95.7 WBEN radio personality Marilyn Russell. Entertainment will be provided by B Sharp Productions and John O’Hurley, performing a condensed version of the theater musical The Perfect Dog, adapted from O’Hurley’s book of the same name.
Special guests at the National Dog Show Gala are members of The National Dog Show Therapy Dog Ambassador team, who will be introduced by their biggest advocate, David Frei, one of the most authoritative voices in the dog show world, the National Dog Show’s expert analyst and host of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on USA Network.
One of the institutions that promotes the therapy dog cause and benefits from The National Dog Show Gala is Ronald McDonald House, where children are comforted by lovable canines in many of the more than 300 locations across the country. Several of the dogs from the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House make up the National Dog Show Therapy Dog Ambassador team.
The Ronald McDonald House connection also includes a charitable donation from $3 off coupons distributed to families at the 178 McDonald’s restaurants in the Philadelphia area. That program is part of a new marketing strategy that includes 95.7 BEN FM and has helped the club achieve a 30 percent attendance increase over the past two years.
A Delaware mother texted her daughter’s 13-year-old boyfriend to set up a sexual encounter, said police.
Smyrna Police arrest Elaine Goodman, 44, of Moriarty Street in Dover after an investigation into the March incident.
Investigators said they learned of the incident in the days after they say Goodman met up with her daughter’s teenage boyfriend on March 15 to engage in sex following a series of text messages with the boy.
Goodman faces three counts of third- and fourth-degree rape, two counts of second-degree unlawful sexual contact and a count of soliciting a child for sex.
A judge sent Goodman to the county jail n lieu of $225,000 secured bond.
Officials have identified a girl who was found dead in the banks of the Delaware River in Northeast Philadelphia late Wednesday morning as Pamela Flores.
14-year-old Pamela Flores was last seen Oct. 27 around 8:15 a.m. when she left her home to go to Frankford High School but never arrived.
Her family said Pamela's backpack and cellphone were found in the vicinity of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, which is about a 3-mile walk from the school.
The medical examiner made the announcement Thursday afternoon, ruling the death a suicide caused by drowning.
SUICIDE PREVENTION: If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Hours after he was found guilty on 22 counts of fraud in a federal trial, Chaka Fattah Jr. said he plans to appeal and doesn't think he'll serve any prison time.
Fattah Jr., wearing a dark gray three-piece suit with an aubergine-colored tie and a checked white shirt, smirked slightly as NBC10's Harry Hairston sat down to interview him about his guilty verdict.
"I'm not going to face any time in prison," Fattah Jr. told Hairston in an exclusive interview Thursday afternoon, after leaving federal court. Fattah Jr., the son of Congressman Chaka Fattah, was found guilty on 22 of 23 counts of bank and tax fraud against him. The charge he beat was one that he filed a false tax return.
Fattah Jr., who goes by "Chip," said despite being found guilty on all but one of the 23 counts against him, he doesn't think representing himself during his weeks-long jury trial was a mistake.
"It was a great idea," Fattah Jr. told Hairston with a chuckle. "Because I think I'm still going to beat them."
Fattah Jr., 33, said he plans to appeal the verdict and doesn't believe he'll wind up serving any prison time. He said the evidence presented against him by federal prosecutors was "prejudicial." He said he intends to represent himself on appeal so long as he isn't incarcerated after Feb. 3, the date for which his sentencing is scheduled.
Fattah Jr. is facing possibly spending the rest of his life behind bars, although prosecutors would not comment on what sentence they would seek after court Thursday.
"The bottom line is, all 22 of these convictions will be overturned on appeal," Fattah Jr. told Hairston. "This isn't the final decision."
Fattah Jr. referenced the case of former state Sen. Vince Fumo, saying Fumo spent an extravagant money on defense lawyers in his own trial several years ago but was still convicted. He said he hopes that example will silence those who are critical of his decision to represent himself.
"I know the law and I put in the work," Fattah Jr. said.
He said the most damning evidence against him was hours of tapes of conversations he had with his former college roommate, who testified at his trial. Fattah Jr. said the talks happened when he was "five or six Belvedere and cranberries" in and that "People naturally say things when they're sitting around with their college roommate that they wouldn't want broadcast in public."
As for some of the worst charges against him -- that he stole thousands upon thousands of dollars from the School District of Philadelphia -- Fattah Jr. told Hairston he is not guilty, and that the jury got the verdict wrong on those.
"I've never taken $1 that I didn't earn ... I never stole $1 from the Philadelphia School District," Fattah Jr. said. "I'm a proud Philadelphian."
Fattah Jr. is a 2000 graduate of Central High School, a prestigious Philadelphia public school.
Fattah Jr.'s father, Congressman Chaka Fattah, faces charges in a separate case investigated by the same FBI agents and prosecutors who handled his son's case. He's accused of misusing federal grants and charitable donations. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Congressman Fattah is married to NBC10 News anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, who is currently on leave from the station. She has not been charged.
Prosecutors say a gunfight between an Asbury Park police officer and a suspect resulted in a bullet going into a home nearby and grazing an 8-year-old girl watching TV.
A patrol officer made an "investigatory stop" on a street to speak with 20-year-old Dante Allen Wednesday night when Allen began running, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni.
The officer "pursued Allen, Allen turned and fired shots at him as he ran away," Gramiccioni said Thursday.
The officer fired back, and at least one bullet went through the wall of the house where Cassie Jones was watching TV, and grazed the girl across her forehead.
Neighbor Kayraun Wilson said she heard screaming from the house and she ran over.
The girl's mother "had her child wrapped up and I ran to flag the officers to come get her," she said.
Another neighbor, Tasha McLean, said the mother was panicking, "I was panicking, everybody on the block was panicking. It was terrible."
Investigators said the officer shot Allen in the leg, allowing him to be captured. The cop was not hit.
There is video clearly showing the suspect firing first, according to Gramiccioni.
Asked whether the officer was right to fire back at the suspect, Gramiccioni said: "It's consistent with police protocol to try to extinguish a threat when somebody's firing at an officer in the neighborhood like this."
Prosecutors are still investigating whose bullet went into the house.
The girl was treated and released from the hospital Wednesday evening.
Allen, who has a juvenile criminal record, was being held on $1 million bail for attempted murder and several weapons charges.
Neighbors said Wednesday the girl grazed by the bullet was 9 years old, but authorities clarified Thursday she was 8.
Not many eighth graders can balance a Los Angeles movie premiere, school, interviews, auditions, soccer practice, and a normal life, but that’s exactly what one local boy does.
AJ Tecce, a Medford eighth grader, is the voice of Pig-pen in The Peanuts Movie, coming out Friday.
AJ has been modeling, acting, and doing voice overs since he was three years old. The 13-year-old appeared in two independent films, Raising Ethan and Stereopsis, but says his recent role as the voice of Pig-pen is his biggest gig yet.
“It’s really cool”, AJ said, smiling ear to ear.
AJ’s agent originally told him and his mom, Karen, about the part in 2013. After a lengthy audition and waiting process, AJ was officially offered the part in July of 2014, but had to keep it secret until Thanksgiving of 2014, when the cast appeared on The Today Show.
The youngest of four boys, AJ started getting into acting and modeling after family members commented on his outgoing personality and ability to make people laugh.
AJ recently returned home after a trip out to Los Angeles for the premier of the movie, where he and the other actors got to walk the red carpet and attend cast parties. The group even went trick-or-treating together.
“I can’t think of another project that would have been as wonderful to be a part of,” AJ’s mother, Karen, said.
Even with the celebrity moments, AJ feels his life as an eighth grader is pretty normal.
“My friends still treat me like one of the guys, which is cool,” he said.
AJ says people should go see The Peanuts Movie in theaters Friday, Nov. 6 because it’s “a good, clean movie!” (Pig-pen joke).
Preschoolers just made holiday shopping a little easier this year.
Kids from about 50 schools across the country were handed a dream job – just to play with dozens of toys and pick their favorites.
The winning list of toys is:
Top 10 Preschooler-Approved Toys for 2015:
A Philadelphia Firefighter was injured battling a 3-alarm fire in the Bridesburg section of the city Thursday evening, according to witnesses.
The fire broke out inside a recycling warehouse along the 4800 block of Garden Street around 7 p.m.
Witnesses told NBC10's Randy Gyllenhaal that they saw a firefighter injured when debris fell on him.
Heavy smoke was seen in the area as flames shot through the roof.
Fire officials confirmed that one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.
"If they discount me, then you will be laying on the ground."
The words of this seventh-grade football player seem common, but they come from a 12-year-old who is playing against heavy odds.
Gaven Toney of Chester County, in Pennsylvania, was born without arms and legs. He's not letting that stop him on the field.
NBC10 attended a game at Henderson High School on Thursday night where Gaven's team from Stetson Middle School took on rival Pierce and Gaven took plenty of hits. Running on special shoes, he kept up just fine and held his ground, making plays to help his team.
The young defensive tackle takes his cues from the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I watched the Eagles and (running backs) DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews," he tells NBC10. "I want to come out and see if I can put in the work and I tried to see what happens."
As for his future, Gaven hopes to become a football player or analyst when he grows up.
Gaven's coach, Mitch Hoffman, said "It's moments like this, and being around kids" like Gaven, that make coaching worth it.
Gaven has tried other sports in the past, but this is his first year on the football team, something that still worries his mom.
"Usually I'm hoping he doesn't get hurt and that he gives his all every time– he tries it no matter what," Jeanelle Toney said.
