Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

Rosemary Kennedy’s intellectual disability led Eunice Mary Kennedy to become a lifelong advocate for those with similar conditions. Born on July 10, 1921, in Brookline, Massachusetts, Eunice was the fifth of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy. She attended Manhattanville University and graduated from Stanford University in 1943 with a sociology degree. The Kennedy family’s focus on public service influenced her commitment to social justice.

In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized the first Special Olympics in Chicago, Illinois, a groundbreaking athletic event for people with intellectual disabilities. She served as a producer on the television film Mary, Mother of Jesus in 1999 and appeared as herself on The Mike Douglas Show in 1961 and Adventures on the New Frontier in 1961. Her work in the Kennedy administration included advocacy for mental health and disability rights, culminating in the expansion of the Special Olympics to over 190 countries.

Eunice married Sargent Shriver on May 23, 1953. They had five children: Maria Shriver, Bobby Shriver, Timothy Shriver, Mark Shriver, and Anthony Shriver. Maria Shriver married actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger. Eunice was the daughter of Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy, and her siblings included President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Senator Ted Kennedy, and eight others. She died on August 11, 2009, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, at age 88 from natural causes.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Special Olympics, founded in 1968, remains the world’s largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, inspiring millions. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984 and inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998. The Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award honored her in 2005. Her work changed perceptions globally, and she is remembered as a pioneer for inclusion and dignity for all.