It has been said that Eunice Kennedy Shriver was a ‘force of nature’. That she was and more. Born into a famous, competitive and wealthy family she was a woman ahead of her times. Long before anyone heard of women’s liberation she was there competing with her brothers, Joe, Jack, Robert and Ted. Whether it was in school, in sports or in politics she was supremely intelligent, driven and feisty. She held her own in a male environment and taught her daughter, granddaughters and nieces that they could do anything that their brothers and boy cousins could do.
This positive self-esteem building was not limited to her family. In large part due to the love she had for her mentally challenged sister, Rosemary, she tackled the lack of acceptance and negative perception the world seem to have for such individuals. She founded the Special Olympics which started in her backyard as Camp Shriver back in the early 60’s. She encouraged these special children and made them feel loved and accepted for themselves. She convinced them they could do so much. As they practiced and competed their confidence grew, they made new friends and the lives of their family members were greatly enriched. Today these special athletes compete in some 175 countries. Through Mrs. Shriver’s tireless efforts 3,000,000 children and adults are able to participate in Olympic games and develop their skills. None of this would have been possible without the vision and hard work of Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
In 1984 President Reagan rewarded Eunice’s achievements with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – America’s highest award given to a civilian for public service. Those who knew her say she was a woman of constant motion always doing for others. Some of her most inspiring words were spoken at the 1987 Special Olympics held at the University of Notre Dame. It was there that she spoke to the athletes and said in her well known Kennedy accent:
“The right to play on any playing field? You have earned it. The right to study in any school? You have earned it. The right to hold a job? You have earned it. The right to be anyone’s neighbor? You have earned it.”
Her marriage of 56 years to Sargent Shriver, former Ambassador to France and founder of the Peace Corps, was an enduring love affair. They were completely devoted to one another and to their five children. As daughter, Maria, said at her mother’s eulogy she and her four brothers each felt like an only child. Their mother fiercely supported all their endeavors and spoke with each of them every day. Maria married to Arnold Schwarzenegger is the First Lady of California, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author. Each of her brothers runs a non-profit foundation. Bobby a member of the Santa Monica City Council co-founded a number of organizations including Product (Red) with U2’s Bono to help fight aids in Africa. Timothy has run the Special Olympics for the last 14 years and has overseen its growth to over 3 million athletes in 175 countries. Mark is VP and Marketing Director of Save the Children USA and is widely published in the NY Times, Washington Post and Newsweek among others. Anthony is the founder and chairman of Best Buddies International which fosters friendships for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It operates in all 50 states as well as 44 countries. In addition to their five children there are nineteen grandchildren quite a legacy for this amazing couple.
Eunice was a devout Catholic and a woman of tremendous faith with a particular devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus. In May, 2008 her son, Timothy, referenced this with the following words in an article he wrote for washingtonpost.com:
“But I can hardly begin to capture how much meaning and purpose my mother’s devotion to Mary has given me. The rosary was my first exposure to the power of repetitive prayer and led me to study the meditative practices of all religions where mantra and repetition form a pathway to silence and peace. Those beads in my fingers still create an almost biological reaction: “calm down” they seem to call out no matter the moment. Move to your center. Be still.”
Her daughter, Maria, gave a magnificent eulogy to honor her mother after the funeral Mass on August 14th. Here is an excerpt from it:
“Mummy was indeed a trailblazer. She showed up in her life as herself, and that takes courage. She took adversity and turned it into advantage. Inspired by the rejection she saw many women face, especially her sister Rosemary and her mother, and other mothers of special children, she turned that into her life’s focus and her life’s passion and mission. Her own brand of what I’d call maternal feminism.”
“Mummy was indeed a towering figure. I'm sure everybody in this church has a story about her, a story that would make you laugh, make you cry, a story that would make you roll your eyes at her audacity and her brilliance. She was the real deal, a woman who did everything women aspired to. She had a great husband, she had a great family, a deep, deep faith in God, and she combined that with being a fearless warrior for the voiceless.”
I had the privilege of attending the public wake held for Mrs. Shriver last week at Our Lady’s Church in Centerville, MA. There were many Special Olympians there, lots of ordinary folks and of course family members including all her children. I signed the guest book and was then greeted by one of Eunice’s 19 grandchildren. This very sweet little girl thanked me for coming. I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak to one of Mrs. Shriver’s sons and to tell him what a remarkable woman his mother was. He said simply, ”Thank you, yes she was.” I then said a prayer at Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s casket and took the time to view the many large photographs lining the aisles of the church. There was magnificent music playing helping to create a sense of reverence and awe.
The life’s work of Eunice Kennedy Shriver will continue to reverberate in the years to come as her children, her grandchildren and everyone she inspired with her words and deeds continue her life’s mission to make the world better for those with intellectual disabilities. For as Eunice herself said:
"As we hope for the best in them, hope is reborn in us."
