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By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Sports Writer
SURPRISE, Ariz. – Loaded bases, a gold medal on the line. Manuel Velasco Jr. stands in the box of the drummer sniffing, tears running down his face.
A few seconds earlier, the 19-year-old known as Junior was behind the dugout canoe, his coach imploring him to shake himself in the upper half of the inning. Junior was about to miss his turn on the board
Once in the box, he fell quickly behind two shots. A rag of the face and a bat shot, it hits a ball that the third baseman can not handle. Junior reaches the first base just as the winning race goes through the plate. Coaches and players try, family and friends cheer.
Junior 's clutch in the face of adversity has arrived at the softball tournament of the state of Arizona last summer. Inspirational stories like his have taken place in almost every corner of the world during the 50 years of the Special Olympics.
"Every person has a story to tell, and most people want the world to pay attention. the stories have a particular hue, "said Special Olympics President Tim Shriver." They almost always start in sadness and shock, they almost always follow a path of humiliation and discrimination, and they almost always a moment or a series of moments where all the humiliation, all the shock and sadness are turned into meaning, purpose and This story is common to all, but in our community, people are telling it with more and more. authenticity, crudeness and punch. "
Shriver's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, made these stories heard." 19659003] President John F. Kennedy's sister helped change the perception of people with intellectual disabilities, and in turn, created a better future for them.His sister, Rosemary, suffered from an intellectual disability and Kennedy Shriver wanted a better life and opportunities for children who, in the 1950s and 1960s, were often harassed, Isolated by their parents or institutionalized.
Kennedy Shriver forged the Special Olympics prime field at Soldier Field in Chicago in 1968 with Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, then a volunteer at the Chicago Parks Department [19659003] Special Olympics has since expanded its operations to 172 countries and 4.9 million athletes competing in snowboarding while spreading a global message of inclusion and empowerment. The organization's anniversary is celebrated at a five-day event in Chicago this week.
"Anything that lasts that long and continues to grow, is to tap into something deeply human, shared by different cultures and times." Exhale, "Shriver said. "The energy that Special Olympics athletes give off is an energy of compassion and confidence, an energy to put relationships above possessions or power or notoriety. It's the lesson that every human being has a gift, and I do not think "
The lasting impact of Special Olympics far exceeds the competition on the ground. It has become a human rights movement for a segment of society that has often been put in the background or ridiculed.
Special Olympics has shed light on the breadth of inspirational stories, allowing people with intellectual disabilities to be recognized The gifts they have, are included instead of excluded.
The acceptance and trust that comes with competition at the Special Olympics has created a world where people with intellectual disabilities can thrive as they have never done before. A person with special needs in grocery bags or working in a fast food restaurant, unthinkable before the Special Olympics, has become commonplace.
"The Special Olympics are everything for me," said Samantha Dunn, an athlete from Surprise.
Dunn, known as Sam for his family and friends, participated in special Olympics and recreation for most of his life. The 26-year-old athlete with Williams syndrome, who causes mild-to-moderate learning difficulties, began playing at the Little League in Southern California and competed in the Special Olympics when he was in the game. she moved to Arizona in the late 1990s.
The syndrome is generally extroverted, has an endearing personality, and arouses extreme interest in others. The characterization perfectly matches Sam; She is exceptionally sociable, enjoys talking with new people and enjoys dancing, especially with Michael Jackson's songs.
Special Olympics allowed him to flourish even more by making new friends and increasing his coordination
it is difficult to explain how much it helped him ", said his father, Buddy, special Olympics coach for 20 years. "It does not take her one step down, she steps him forward because she thinks she can do it all and be better than anyone else because of Special Olympics."
Athletes are not the only ones to benefit. 19659003] Before the Special Olympics began, parents with special needs often heard how sorry and disappointed they were
Special Olympics gave parents and families the opportunity to have fun. To be openly proud of their children. their children are beyond their disabilities. The pride of a child with special needs after scoring a goal or touching a home lap is exceeded only by that of his parents in the stands.
"They radiate pride, it's a simple gift, but it's not always the case for our families," said Shriver. "We help families keep the strength that they have. they know, to keep the love that they feel for their child who might have special needs, to hold it so that the world can see what they see, a gifted and handsome child.
Olympic athletes play for the love of the sport, not to dominate or humiliate their opponents, they display a determination that few non-disabled people can imagine, they project an energy of compassion, joy and joy. 39, inclusion.
"It's a story, frankly, I think the world is gone," said Shriver. "What story are we telling in the United States today?" Is a story of anger, a story of anger, a story of transformation from division to unity, from the transformation of the pain in love, from the transformation of exclusion into inclusion. The stories that the country needs to be remembered are real and very powerful. "
The stories have been played out every day since the creation of the Special Olympics, reaching almost every corner of the world
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