Profile of the Day: Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

“You are the stars and the world is watching you. By your presence, you send a message to every village, every city, every nation. A message of hope. A message of victory.”

Today we remember Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who passed away on August 11, 2009 at the age of 88. A member of the Kennedy family, Eunice was the fifth of nine children born to Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald. A passionate advocate for children with disabilities, Shriver believed people with intellectual disabilities should be given the same opportunities and experiences as everyone else. In 1962, she established “Camp Shriver” in her own home as a summer day camp for children with intellectual disabilities to participate in a variety of sports and physical activities. A few years later in 1968, she founded the Special Olympics, the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

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