
For those of you that have been following my blog the past year, the name Brayden Carr probably rings a bell. For the past year, Rutgers basketball coach Jim Carr and his wife Natalie have been dealing with epiletic seizures from their 17 month old son.
When Jim Carr heard Dr. Orrin Devinsky, the primary neurologist for his son, Brayden, was holding a fundraiser for epilepsy research, the Rutgers men’s basketball assistant coach reached out to his peers for help.
“Believe it or not it’s one of the least-funded diseases in our country,” Carr said. “Everyone knows someone who has epilepsy or a seizure condition. But it’s not one of those diseases that people know a whole lot about.”
Carr e-mailed coaches from all 16 Big East Conference teams, requesting that they send something of value for the Finding A Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures (F.A.C.E.S.) fundraiser set for tonight at Chelsea Piers in New York City.
“We got lucky in that people that we know, they want to help us, and a lot of that was through basketball, through Rutgers and through the Big East,” Carr said. “Not a lot of people have those same advantages so we want to give back by raising money in a different way, so they get better research. Everybody’s sending stuff, whether it’s tickets or autograph basketballs and posters, which is great.”
Mike Hopkins was among the Big East assistant coaches who offered to help.
“I’m sure anybody Jimmy asked to do something, they would help,” Syracuse’s longtime assistant coach said. “It really is a coaching fraternity, and while we may be rivals on a given night, you know we’re in this thing together. And I can’t tell you how many kids I’ve known who played at Rutgers that just always talk about the influence Jimmy has had on them.”
Devinsky said the goal for Tuesday’s gala is to raise money for research and treatments of epilepsy and to create awareness “for people like Brayden.” - courtesty of Keith Sargent -
Keith Sargent from the Home News Tribune has done an amazing job covering this emotional story. This is the first time Jim and his wife have spoken publicly about Brayden. Please take 5 minutes to read it and keep Brayden in your thoughts and prayers.
Read more about Brayden’s story here…