Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day: The Service of Play
This article was originally featured at The Huffington Post. It's being re-published here for MariaShriver.com readers.
My mother was a warrior. No, not someone who carried a sword and went into hostilities to harm, but rather a warrior for good, and for the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities worldwide.
My mother's battlefield was the Special Olympics organization she founded in 1968. Her weapons of choice were compassion, an enormous heart, a sharp intellect and a competitive spirit. She used her full arsenal of talents to fight for those who were not viewed by society to be capable, to be fully human, to be deserving of the opportunity to play, to compete, and to contribute to their community worldwide.
This Saturday, September 24, over 100 countries will celebrate the second annualEunice Kennedy Shriver (EKS) Day. Athletes, families and fans from around the world will play unified -- people with and