BOSTON (WHDH) — The annual Best Buddies Challenge is next week and 7News spoke with founder Anthony Shriver about his inspiration for starting the organization.
The mission behind Best Buddies is creating friendships and employment opportunities for people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The cause is very personal for Shriver. His aunt, Rosemary Kennedy, lived with intellectual disabilities and inspired his mother, Eunice, to start the Special Olympics in 1968.
“Every human being God put on this earth has a special talent or gift. I was 10 or 11 years of age when I learned that from Rosemary,” said Shriver. “She had great talents. She was surrounded by giants in her family who were publicly very, very successful and admired and in her own special way, she changed the world.”
More than 20 years after the Special Olympics was created, Shriver began Best Buddies as a college student. It has now grown to more than 50 countries around the world, impacting the lives of more than 1 million people. Tom Brady traveled to Qatar last month as a global ambassador for Best Buddies.
“He’s recognized the enormous gifts some of our participants have and how they can excel in their lives with encouragement, support and the energy to take it to the next level,” said Shriver.
The Best Buddies Challenge, a bike ride from Boston to Hyannis, raises money for the organization and 7News is a proud partner. 7’s own Adam Williams and Kim Khazei will be riding in the challenge this year.
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