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.

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...

Brian McNab up to bat for Sobeys

Meet PEI’s Brian McNab: Special Olympics World Champion and Sobeys employee

Prince Edward Island’s Brian McNab, 47, has been a Special Olympics athlete for 15 years, competing in softball and floor hockey. He’s also one of...

Brandon and his fathers

Happy Father’s Day from Special Olympics across Canada

In honour of all dads everywhere, we’re sharing Brandon Vansickle’s inspiring story about how his neighbours, turned Dads, turned Special Olympics...

Jackie Barrett competes at the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015.

Record-breaking Powerlifter Jackie Barrett first-ever Special Olympics athlete inducted in Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Canadian Powerlifter Jackie Barrett is making history as the first-ever Special Olympics athlete inducted in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame...

Diversity and Inclusion Infographics Series

Diversity and Inclusion Infographics Series

In the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, Special Olympics Canada committed to focusing on long-lasting organizational change that goes beyond simply changing...

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...

Brian McNab up to bat for Sobeys

Meet PEI’s Brian McNab: Special Olympics World Champion and Sobeys employee

Prince Edward Island’s Brian McNab, 47, has been a Special Olympics athlete for 15 years, competing in softball and floor hockey. He’s also one of...

Brandon and his fathers

Happy Father’s Day from Special Olympics across Canada

In honour of all dads everywhere, we’re sharing Brandon Vansickle’s inspiring story about how his neighbours, turned Dads, turned Special Olympics...

Jackie Barrett competes at the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015.

Record-breaking Powerlifter Jackie Barrett first-ever Special Olympics athlete inducted in Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Canadian Powerlifter Jackie Barrett is making history as the first-ever Special Olympics athlete inducted in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame...

Diversity and Inclusion Infographics Series

Diversity and Inclusion Infographics Series

In the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, Special Olympics Canada committed to focusing on long-lasting organizational change that goes beyond simply changing...