Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Hello! My name is Eunice Kennedy Shriver. I was born on July 10th, 1921. My home was always full of energy because I had many brothers and sisters. We all loved to play games and sports together, running around outside and having fun. My older sister was named Rosemary. For Rosemary, learning new things was sometimes harder because she had an intellectual disability. I noticed that when we played games, she was often left on the side, unable to join in. It made me sad to see her left out. It just didn't seem fair. I truly believed that everyone, no matter how they learned or how their body moved, deserved a chance to play, to compete, and to feel the joy of being part of a team.

As I got older, I never forgot about my sister Rosemary and my wish for everyone to be included. I wanted to help others just like her. During the 1960s, I looked around and saw that there were not many places where children with intellectual disabilities could go to play sports and have fun. That’s when I had an idea. In 1962, I decided to turn my own backyard into a summer camp. I invited children from my neighborhood to come and play. We called it Camp Shriver. It was so much fun. We swam in the pool, we played kickball in the grass, and we even got to ride ponies. Seeing the big smiles on all their faces filled my heart with happiness. It also helped me dream up an even bigger idea.

My little backyard camp showed me something very important. It showed me that these amazing kids could be wonderful athletes. They were strong, they were fast, and they loved to play. They just needed a chance to shine and show the world what they could do. So, I decided to create a giant sports event just for them, like the Olympics, but special. On July 20th, 1968, my big dream came true. We held the very first Special Olympics in the city of Chicago. Athletes came from all over to compete in events like track and field and swimming. The whole day was filled with loud cheers, happy hugs, and so many proud moments. It didn't matter who won a gold medal. Everyone was a winner just for being there and trying their very best.

That one day of games in Chicago was just the beginning. It grew and grew, bigger than I ever could have imagined. Today, the Special Olympics is all over the world. It helps millions of athletes with intellectual disabilities feel proud, strong, and included. I lived to be 88 years old, and it brought me so much joy to see my dream grow so big and help so many people. People remember me for starting a movement that proves every single person has special talents inside them and deserves to be celebrated for who they are.