Prayers for Eunice Kennedy Shriver

(NECN: Josh Brogadir, Hyannis, Mass.) – Holding vigil on Cape Cod. As Eunice Kennedy Shriver remains in intensive care, her family remains by her side. Tonight, the Vatican, as well as Special Olympians around the world, are keeping Shriver in their prayers. Mrs. Shriver’s condition has not changed since Friday. She remains in critical condition tonight. Today, we spoke with a Special Olympian and her family who are thinking about Mrs. Shriver and are grateful for what she’s done for them. “These I got on Saturday for fishing,” said 24 year old Special Olympian Katie Stubstad, of Sagamore, who showed off her bronze and gold medals. She has also gotten medals for track and field, basketball, and her specialty, swimming. “I did the backstroke, and my coach Steve said the backstroke is easy to do, and that’s why I stayed focused on my backstroke,” she said. And the focus for much of Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s adult life has been on giving athletes with disabilities like Katie the opportunity to compete. Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics in 1968, remains in critical, but stable condition at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, not far from her family’s stately Hyannis Port home. Her daughter Maria Shriver was at the hospital over the weekend, as was her son in law California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Hospital officials say her husband, Sargent Shriver, was with her through the day Monday as were some of her grandchildren. The 88 year old sister of Senator Ted Kennedy, himself battling brain cancer, has been at the hospital for more than a week. I asked Katie if she knew anything about Eunice Kennedy Shriver, if she had heard about her. “Yes, I do,” Katie said. “She’s John F. Kennedy’s cousin, sister I mean, and I’d say I know her since I was studying Kennedys for a long time.” Kennedy Shriver drew inspiration for her mission to help create an athletic event for people with special needs from her own sister, Rosemary who was mentally disabled. Kennedy Shriver’s tireless work inspired Don Stubstad, Katie’s father to volunteer before his daughter was even born. “I went to the World Games in Connecticut back in 1980 and it was kind of because of Eunice Shriver talking about what she was doing and I just thought it would be great so I got up like at 3 o’clock in the morning and drove up there and spent the whole day there and volunteered for that and since then I’ve been hooked,” Don Stubstad said. Katie, who has Down Syndrome is starting her third year at Cape Cod Community College. Thanks to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, she has been competing in the Special Olympics since fifth grade and making friends along the way. “The sports are the fun part. She loves the competing and she’s happy even if she doesn’t get a gold medal, or even if she gets a medal. A ribbon’s fine, they’re just happy to be there and to be competing,” Katie’s mother Kathy Stubstad said. CNN, citing a Kennedy Family source, says Eunice Kennedy Shriver suffered a setback today and the family was summoned back to the hospital. Governor Schwarzenegger left last night, and was supposed to be in Las Vegas for the National Clean Energy Summit today but canceled his appearance. His spokesman said he would be returning to the Cape but did not say when.