Life and legacy of Eunice Kennedy Shriver

(NECN: Brian Burnell, Hartford, Conn.) – Eunice Kennedy Shriver is being remembered as a champion for people with disabilities. Shriver died early Tuesday morning at the age of 88. The Special Olympic is her legacy, and local organizations around the world mourn her passing. A 1960 Chicago Tribune profile of Eunice Kennedy Shriver said she was generally credited with being the most intellectual and politically minded of all the Kennedy women. She turned that passion to a cause close to her heart. When brother John was elected President she made it her mission to change the lives of the intellectually challenged. Robert “Beau” Doherty is a longtime friend and head of the Connecticut Special Olympics. He says Eunice was always athletic. Robert “Beau” Doherty, CT Special Olympics: She also was the partner to Rosemary, her sister who had intellectual disabilities. Those two were a sailing team. That experience made her realize how sports could become a way of including people who were largely excluded in those days. In 1968 she started the Special Olympics and it took off. Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s energy, drive and tough-mindedness made it what it is today. Robert “Beau” Doherty, CT Special Olympics: In 1979 she thought we were becoming too much of a fun day in the sun. She put us all together in a room and said, “Listen. I started this to be a sports program. You guys are not coaching athletes. You’re not endorsing the coaching of athletes, you’re not spending time with athletes and you’re not officiating by the rules and you need to clean up your act or move on.” Needless to say she got her way and now Special Olympics has more than 1-million athletes in over 160 countries. In 1995 a many of them came to New Haven for the Special Olympic World Games. Dan Widing has been a Special Olympian since he was seven or eight. He’s also an ambassador for the Special Olympics and made the trip to Washington a couple of years ago. Dan Widing, Avon, CT: I came to Washington to meet all the Senators, meet Eunice Shriver, I liked her very, very much and after when she say to me happiest time of my life now. Dan’s parents say being a Special Olympian has taught Dan sportsmanship, teamwork and given him self-confidence. His mom, Carol, points particularly to competitions that take Dan away from home. Carol Widing, Avon, CT: The independence and getting away from their own family is good too. Being alone with your teammates, have a good time and fair play. She’s also seen a change in how others view Dan and people like him. Carol Widing, Avon, CT: I think they start seeing a whole person and not just an adjective. Its not a condition but its somebody who happens to have something. That is what Mrs. Shriver was striving for more than 40 years ago. Did she think it would grow this big? Beau thinks she did. Robert “Beau” Doherty, CT Special Olympics: When she had something on her mind and vision of where she wanted to go she was going to move mountains to do it. I don’t doubt that she thought this would kind of change the world. I really don’t. in the world.