By TONI ROJAS
When she was born I knew my baby was special. Call it Mommy intuition, but I could feel her needs being so much more than I ever expected. My daughter, Nikilani, was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specific (PDD-NOS, depending on who you talk to), and is now a flourishing 18 year old representing Hawai`I with her Maui teammate, Fae Torres, at the 2014 Special Olympics National Games in New Jersey, June 14 – 21, 2014. Needless to say, our family is proud and elated.
After trying our local community soccer team, we could see that her cognitive and physical abilities were not of her peers, and although other soccer parents were supportive and understanding, we knew she would need long term special attention and training to participate. So with her steadfast desire to do well and try that much harder, we took that energy, ran with it, joined Special Olympics Maui, and have never looked back.
Special Olympics has been part of our lives since she was 8 years old. From bocce ball to soccer, track to bowling, and softball to swimming, every season we encouraged and cheered, and so did all the other families. That’s what makes Special Olympics Maui really special, the network of families and their athletes is strong and we hold an unspoken bond. We understand each other’s challenges as parents and caregivers, support one another in times of need, and cheer for all our athletes as one ‘ohana. Every success we celebrate together, and feel the pride as if they were our own.
It is through visionaries such as Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921-2009), as founder and honorary chairperson of Special Olympics and executive vice president of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation that our special children can benefit from sports training and competition. She was a leader in the worldwide struggle to improve and enhance the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities for more than three decades.
The mission of Special Olympics Maui is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for over 200 children and adults with intellectual disabilities on Maui, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skill, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. That’s exactly our experience and we encourage other parents to consider joining this special organization should you feel your keiki need some extra support.
For more information on Special Olympics Maui sports, to sponsor an athlete or discuss volunteer opportunities, please contact Regional Director, Adrienne Laurion at 281-7318. And certainly if you would like to talk to a parent, please contact me any time at 344-8880 or [email protected].
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