"If you look at her brothers and sisters and all they have accomplished, no one will stand any higher than my mother."
~Tim Shriver, CEO of Special Olympics
Eunice Kennedy Shriver:
Changing the World Through the Special Olympics
Eunice Kennedy Shriver ("Eunice Kennedy Shriver")
Eunice Kennedy Shriver was an amazing leader in the global struggle to change the lives for the better of mentally-challenged individuals. She worked for them for over five decades. Born in 1921 in Brookline, Massachusetts, to Rose and Joseph Kennedy, Shriver had eight siblings ("Eunice").
Shriver saw that children with intellectual disabilities were often ignored and placed in institutions. She knew that these children had talents that many didn't see ("Eunice").
Eunice had a sister, Rosemary, who had an intellectual disability. When Rosemary and Eunice were younger, they played sports. They went swimming, skiing, and played football as a family, but Rosemary couldn't participate in sports programs because there weren't any available ("Eunice").
Shriver believed that if people with intellectual disabilities had chances to show what they could do, they would succeed ("Eunice").
In 1962 she put her vision into action. She welcomed kids with intellectual disabilities to Camp Shriver, a summer day camp held in her backyard. Camp Shriver's intention was to explore the kids' skills in many different physical activities. Camp Shriver was successful.
In the summer of 1968, Shriver helped plan the first Special Olympics Games, which were held in Chicago, Illinois ("Eunice").
Shriver passed away on August 11, 2009. Later, in January of 2011 her husband, Sargent Shriver, died. The Shrivers had five children: Robert, Maria, Timothy, Mark, and Anthony Paul ("Eunice").
Shriver saw that children with intellectual disabilities were often ignored and placed in institutions. She knew that these children had talents that many didn't see ("Eunice").
Eunice had a sister, Rosemary, who had an intellectual disability. When Rosemary and Eunice were younger, they played sports. They went swimming, skiing, and played football as a family, but Rosemary couldn't participate in sports programs because there weren't any available ("Eunice").
Shriver believed that if people with intellectual disabilities had chances to show what they could do, they would succeed ("Eunice").
In 1962 she put her vision into action. She welcomed kids with intellectual disabilities to Camp Shriver, a summer day camp held in her backyard. Camp Shriver's intention was to explore the kids' skills in many different physical activities. Camp Shriver was successful.
In the summer of 1968, Shriver helped plan the first Special Olympics Games, which were held in Chicago, Illinois ("Eunice").
Shriver passed away on August 11, 2009. Later, in January of 2011 her husband, Sargent Shriver, died. The Shrivers had five children: Robert, Maria, Timothy, Mark, and Anthony Paul ("Eunice").
"How the Kennedy family's own misfortune spurred the fight against a widely misunderstood affliction."
"Hope For Retarded Children" by Eunice Kennedy Shriver |
(Shriver)
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"The love, the hope, the faith to bring peace and to bring excellence to our special friends through sports." ~Eunice Kennedy Shriver ("A Tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver")
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"Eunice Kennedy Shriver is the pioneer who literally changed the way persons with intellectual disabilities are treated and viewed, not only in the United States, but in Africa, and around the world."
~Nelson Mandela ("A Tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver")
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This letter is a tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver
from Vice-President Joe Biden.
(Biden)
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"The Mother of the
Special Olympics"
("The Mother")
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