What role do you think Special Olympics has played in changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities?
Special Olympics changed the whole landscape. I remember on the first trip I made to Chicago in 1968 there was a little group from Canfield, Connecticut. They were athletes and were also part of a choral group who sang the most beautiful music you’ve ever heard. I talked with the people in Connecticut who worked with those athletes to see how they were caring for the children. Their approach seemed ahead of its time. Back then, there was a stereotype of people with intellectual disabilities. Most were institutionalized and people had preconceived notions of what they could—or couldn’t—accomplish. Through Special Olympics, whole lives were changed. Athletes moved from institutions and were being considered as people with skills and abilities. Living conditions changed, and group homes were established. Special Olympics athletes started rooming with other athletes and people became real champions of Special Olympics. Employers who had jobs available started hiring our athletes in numbers
