Eunice Kennedy Shriver…
If you pay close enough attention to the dots we follow, a solid line connects our separate paths to the chance takers before us. Like the white and yellow stripes governing control on a freeway congested with oversized trucks, atmosphere killing cars and thin slivers of chrome called motorcycles—it’s not until something suddenly becomes missing that you’re able to put focus on the roots and or origin of an idea that changed life.
February 10, 1959 born into the world was a thick headed well determined little boy who knew nothing of his future and the challenges he’d immediately face. While doctors and nurses fought to stay awake, faith in fate fell from grace leaving family members divided on the continued presentation of his purpose. The upper elders of the family quickly voted to institutionalize the innocence of a newborn while my mother learned to trust Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
My brother Teddy is said to be mentally challenged.
Through the efforts of Eunice and those who connected their dots to her path a world so easily thrown away in the chapters before her page became visible in the way of bravely stepping out and forward to create newer reasons to love, support and allow grow in a natural love filled environment a child with special needs.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver shaped The Special Olympics. The very games that serve as a stage to the brilliantly designed minds blessed with heart felt passion to reach for goals a society once hid from the masses.
It would be no more.
Rather than be shoved into hospital corners and fed large avenues of drugs to keep calm Mom made sure Teddy was given the opportunity to live life and that’s what being part of the Special Olympics offers every season leading up to the World Games every four years.
To hold the bronze, silver and gold medals he’s collected while listening to the stories of how he wouldn’t allow himself to be a quitter not only inspired me but influenced the end result of all things connected. Teddy’s spirit has lifted me through extreme battles of depression, work-a-holic addictions and my most recent sickness—because he never faltered that infamous smile he wears daily is what feeds the vision of wanting to share it with people you may never meet.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver took from the wind a sip of something special and turned the fruits it would one day bear into large orchards of wisdom and belief by means of making everyone no matter what age, size or challenge…a champion of life.
The world lost Eunice this morning.
She wasn’t Michael Jackson so there won’t be any large arenas rented for the world to send their condolences. She wasn’t John Hugh’s so HBO, TMC and Cinemax won’t be playing nonstop movies. Eunice fought a daily war but it won’t earn her a nicely draped flag over her casket.
Millions if not billions will continue walking today not knowing of who, what, when, where and why Eunice did what she did. Not until you notice a single child with his parent…
Not everyone comes with ten fingers and toes, for those who don’t…the dot that was once Eunice Kennedy Shriver created a line that served as a path to help set trillions then, now and tomorrow free.
arroecollins@clearchannel.com
In her honor…please know in your heart that when you make a donation to the Special Olympics every dream becomes a reality.
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