John

John is a Special Olympic gold medal winner who takes immense joy and pride in being a swimmer. However, he didn’t learn about his interest in swimming until high school. Before this interest blossomed, he struggled with behavioral issues and had no outlet to allow his personality to flourish.

One day, John’s mother, Gloria, received a call from the high school coach to let her know that John was swimming and enjoying it! Gloria was shocked as she had no idea that he knew how to swim or was interested in it. This was the start of his growth emotionally and mentally. Before dedicating his time to swimming, John would engage in activities that were not always the most productive. His mother expected phone calls about his latest troubles , not a call about his newfound hobby. Swimming was the catalyst for him taking responsibility for himself, gaining independence and attaining a more disciplined attitude. John’s discipline led him to train regularly at the Swimstitute, which allows him to swim indoors regardless of the weather.

In addition to John’s swimming adventures, he enjoys bowling competitively. He is a part of the TRS team, and enjoys participating in the Special Olympics for the bowling competition. In fact, John gets so excited about events that his mother has to wait until the last minute to tell him when his next scheduled bowling and swimming activities are because he will excitedly pack his gear days in advance.

With the discipline John has gained, he established new goals to continue to advance his growth. One of those goals was to have John receive regular dental checkups and cleanings without the need for sedation. John was able to achieve this milestone, and he even communicated with his mother through gestures that he wanted to go through the procedure without her in the room with him. They were both proud of the responsibility and independence John was able to demonstrate.

John will continue to swim and bowl and most of all, achieve the goals he has set for himself!