SOMO News
Tobin’s take on Healthy Athletes: Opening Ceremony Day
Today, we were up and moving early, got up 5:30 a.m. to get breakfast so we could get on the bus in time to go to opening ceremonies.
It was priceless to see the faces of our first-time athletes as we walked into Exploria Stadium and were surrounded by cheering fans from all over the USA.
For some athletes this was their first time coming to the USA Games and one of them could not believe everything all the entertainment and energy at opening ceremonies. They could not say anything other than “wow, that was great!” Some athletes loved Micky and Minnie, others the dancers and music, and one athlete said he loved “everything!”
I got to see an old friend, Brandon Schatisek. It was good to see him in person again after a few years only talking on zoom or through texts. I also got to see Dustin Plunkett, a healthy athletes ambassador and Sargent Shriver Global Messenger, after many years. I got to meet him for the first time at a Capitol Hill Day and health conferences over the years.
I got to see and talk to a old friend from Nebraska, Jason Gieschen, we met in Washington D.C. in the first Health Messenger training.
The great thing about Special Olympics is you get to meet & make new life long friends & at the end of the day that’s what matters the most!!