Eunice Kennedy Shriver died today. It was not unexpected, it has been reported that she was in the hospital and the family had been summoned. We tend to hear a lot about the Kennedy men, but not so much about the women. I do know a bit about Eunice Shriver. I work with adults with developmental disabilities, she was a champion for them.
I hold great respect and admiration for her. The world has truly lost a hero today. She worked her entire life to ensure equal opportunities and experiences for handicapped individuals. She was the first of the Kennedys to speak openly about her sister Rosemary. She used her influence with John to establish a research center for the mentally handicapped. She was a social worker. She worked for the government, helping prisoners of war readjust to civilian life. She founded the Special Olympics and worked to obtain treatment and opportunities for special needs children all over the world. She never stopped working for the causes she believed in. She was an exceptional woman.
