Proving Personal Bests: Special Olympics Athlete Ryan is Breaking Barriers at Work and in Sport

“I wanted to prove them wrong,” said Ryan Kuklikowski, professional baker, national-level bowler and proud Special Olympics athlete. Diagnosed with a learning disability five years ago, Ryan was once told by a doctor that it would prevent him from finding work or living a full life.

While a deeply discouraging message to give any child or parent, it reflects a harsh reality—Canadians with disabilities face greater barrier to employment and are more likely to live closer to the poverty line.

Like many others with a learning disability, Ryan once struggled to find enough paid work to make ends meet. That all changed when he found full-time employment at the Ontario Foodland in his hometown of Vineland—his town’s only grocery store, and part of Empire Family of Brands, which will be fundraising in stores across Canada this June 12-22 to support Special Olympics athletes like Ryan.

Ryan’s mother, who works as the store’s deli manager, helped him get his foot in the door. But he stayed—and thrived—thanks to a supportive work environment that values inclusion, and his own skill and commitment as a full-time baker.

“[The baking department] manager is pretty nice,” Ryan said, “if I make a mistake, she’s good about telling me how it’s done. Then I get used to it, and it becomes a routine.”

Other than the department’s manager, Ryan is the only full-time employee in his store’s bakery section. He bakes their goods from scratch while handling orders both in person and over the phone.

“I also like to clean up the department,” Ryan added, “after a hard day’s work.”

In his sport career, Ryan has been to “countless” Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Games and two National Games. At the Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games in 2023, Ryan got silver in 10-pin bowling, and his doubles partner won gold.

Outside of Special Olympics, Ryan also bowls in two men’s leagues. One of his biggest accomplishments was going to the 2023 Master Bowlers Association of Canada while touring in a Master’s Division for 5-pin bowling, a sport Ryan said he finds harder than 10-pin. Earlier this year, he had to miss the last two weeks of the Niagara Five Pin Mixed Pro season. The reason why? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Italy and represent both his sport community and his workplace on a global stage—a call that Ryan jumped on.

Ryan attended the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 as a correspondent for Empire Family of Brands, sharing highlights from the Games with his teammates in stores across the country. It was a combination of his bakery manager and mother (still working as their store’s deli manager) who helped Ryan even become aware of the opportunity in the first place.

Empire Family of Brands—and its Ontario Foodland banner by extension—has been a proud National Partner of Special Olympics Canada since 2016, contributing more than $13 million in food and funds to date. As a representative of both organizations while travelling with Special Olympics Team Canada to the World Winter Games in Turin, Ryan’s main focus was sharing his story as both an athlete and Empire Family of Brands teammate, while bringing the Games experience to life for supporters back home.

“I have some friends I play baseball with,” Ryan said, “who also work at grocery stores. Made me comfortable that I’m not the only person with my learning disability who works.”

While in Turin, Ryan met athletes not only from across Canada, but from around the world—including Liechtenstein, Denmark, Germany and Pakistan. He also took time to enjoy the culture, sights and sensations of Turin, such as its famous mountain ranges, local cuisine (which he said had a surprising focus on artisan sausages, on top of the expected amount of delicious pasta), and the electric atmosphere of international competition featuring a large array of talented Special Olympics athletes.

Ryan’s trip to Europe marked yet another milestone, as reported by the St. Catherine’s Standard. After completing his correspondent commitments at the Special Olympics World Winter, he spent some time in France with his then-girlfriend, Kennedi. During their stay, Ryan proposed—and she said yes!

Through Special Olympics, Ryan says “the program showed me that I wasn’t alone.” That sense of belonging gave him the confidence to pursue his goals—on the lanes, in the workplace, and in life. From becoming a national level athlete to landing full-time work to proposing to his now-fiancée in France, Ryan is living proof that when given the opportunity, everyone has the power to achieve their personal best.