Stories

Sharing the joy of sport

Special Olympics has received many incredible stories from people whose lives have been changed and enriched through sport, friendship, fun and mentorship. Some of those people have been kind enough to share their stories with you.

Visit our photo and video galleries featuring our athletes, coaches, and volunteers.

Special Olympics Alberta athlete Meg Ohsada poses on the ice

Meet Meg Ohsada: Special Olympics Alberta athlete performing at Rock The Rink in Red Deer, Alta.

Athlete: Meg Ohsada Age: 25 From: Canmore, AB Rock The Rink performance: October 10 at Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer, Alta. 1. How long have you...

Special Olympics Ontario athletes at The Peanut Butter Falcons creening

Special Olympics Canada athletes give “10 gold stars” to The Peanut Butter Falcon after exclusive screening in Toronto

On August 22, more than 200 Special Olympics athletes, volunteers and family members packed a Cineplex theatre in Toronto for a private screening of critically acclaimed film The Peanut Butter Falcon.

The Pooran family stand for a p hoto at the Natalie Pooran Memorial Track Meet

Special Olympics Toronto track meet in memory of Ontario athlete Natalie Pooran

Special Olympics Ontario athletes and sisters Natalie and Nerissa Pooran did everything together.

Heather Miller playing bocce

Inclusive Leadership: Meet Heather Miller, the next athlete representative on Special Olympics Canada’s Board of Directors

“I love leadership,” said Miller. “I’ve been doing speeches, I’ve been fundraising at events. I’m very busy and that’s what I like – to be busy.” Before joining Special Olympics in 2007, she had a lot of free time – too much.

Unified Bocce Team from Sault Ste Marie pose for a photo in Toronto

Unified Sports is bringing the world together, fostering inclusion – but it can’t end there

Unified brings together people with and without an intellectual disability on the same team with one simple principle in mind: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

2019 Special Olympics Dognut

The inspiration behind this year’s Special Olympics Donut

Meet 26-year-old Tori Ranson, a longtime Special Olympics athlete and this year’s creator of the Special Olympics donut sold at participating Tim...

Tori and her dognut

Meet Tori Ranson, creator of Tim Hortons Special Olympics Donut available on Global Day of Inclusion at Tim Hortons across Canada

Tori Ranson, 26, is a well-known and valued member of her Georgetown, Ontario community. The 26-year-old Special Olympics athlete can’t visit her...

Julia Kostecki performs.

Sobeys customers across Canada raise a record $930,000 for Special Olympics athletes

Sobeys, Safeway, Thrifty Foods, IGA, Urban Fresh and Foodland stores across Canada (excluding Quebec) raised a record $930,000 for Special Olympics...

Lenoka competing in Shotput

Calgary’s Leonka Kaluha finds confidence and acceptance at Special Olympics Alberta and Sobeys

Growing up with an intellectual disability, Calgary’s Leonka Kaluha felt judged and bullied. Throughout high school, she was told she wasn’t fast...

ashley at the winter games

‘They treat me like any other employee:’ Special Olympics BC’s Ashley Adie found the perfect fit at Thrifty Foods

Campbell River’s Ashley Adie has been a Special Olympics athlete for 16 years and a Thrifty Foods employee since December 2018. At Special Olympics...

Special Olympics Alberta athlete Meg Ohsada poses on the ice

Meet Meg Ohsada: Special Olympics Alberta athlete performing at Rock The Rink in Red Deer, Alta.

Athlete: Meg Ohsada Age: 25 From: Canmore, AB Rock The Rink performance: October 10 at Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer, Alta. 1. How long have you...

Special Olympics Ontario athletes at The Peanut Butter Falcons creening

Special Olympics Canada athletes give “10 gold stars” to The Peanut Butter Falcon after exclusive screening in Toronto

On August 22, more than 200 Special Olympics athletes, volunteers and family members packed a Cineplex theatre in Toronto for a private screening of critically acclaimed film The Peanut Butter Falcon.

The Pooran family stand for a p hoto at the Natalie Pooran Memorial Track Meet

Special Olympics Toronto track meet in memory of Ontario athlete Natalie Pooran

Special Olympics Ontario athletes and sisters Natalie and Nerissa Pooran did everything together.

Heather Miller playing bocce

Inclusive Leadership: Meet Heather Miller, the next athlete representative on Special Olympics Canada’s Board of Directors

“I love leadership,” said Miller. “I’ve been doing speeches, I’ve been fundraising at events. I’m very busy and that’s what I like – to be busy.” Before joining Special Olympics in 2007, she had a lot of free time – too much.

Unified Bocce Team from Sault Ste Marie pose for a photo in Toronto

Unified Sports is bringing the world together, fostering inclusion – but it can’t end there

Unified brings together people with and without an intellectual disability on the same team with one simple principle in mind: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

2019 Special Olympics Dognut

The inspiration behind this year’s Special Olympics Donut

Meet 26-year-old Tori Ranson, a longtime Special Olympics athlete and this year’s creator of the Special Olympics donut sold at participating Tim...

Tori and her dognut

Meet Tori Ranson, creator of Tim Hortons Special Olympics Donut available on Global Day of Inclusion at Tim Hortons across Canada

Tori Ranson, 26, is a well-known and valued member of her Georgetown, Ontario community. The 26-year-old Special Olympics athlete can’t visit her...

Julia Kostecki performs.

Sobeys customers across Canada raise a record $930,000 for Special Olympics athletes

Sobeys, Safeway, Thrifty Foods, IGA, Urban Fresh and Foodland stores across Canada (excluding Quebec) raised a record $930,000 for Special Olympics...

Lenoka competing in Shotput

Calgary’s Leonka Kaluha finds confidence and acceptance at Special Olympics Alberta and Sobeys

Growing up with an intellectual disability, Calgary’s Leonka Kaluha felt judged and bullied. Throughout high school, she was told she wasn’t fast...

ashley at the winter games

‘They treat me like any other employee:’ Special Olympics BC’s Ashley Adie found the perfect fit at Thrifty Foods

Campbell River’s Ashley Adie has been a Special Olympics athlete for 16 years and a Thrifty Foods employee since December 2018. At Special Olympics...