SYDNEY GIBSON
Silverton | 26 years old
“I am most proud of the moment I realized that even though I have a disability, I can still inspire. When I worked at an autism treatment center for children, one of the older kids came up to me and said, ‘Miss Sydney, how did you get your job because I want to do what you do?’ It made me feel so good about myself that someone looked up to me and was watching me do what I loved. I am also sure when they get to that point in their life, they can do what they love to do as well.”
RYAN MEYER
North College Hill | 35 years old
“I’d like the world to be bully free because it would stop suicide and stop people from being sad. I don’t like people being sad. In high school, I used stand up for people who were being bullied. I also used to get bullied myself. I have worked on anti-bullying projects with the Autism Society of Greater Cincinnati and Project CARE.”
MARY BODLE
Anderson Township | 42 years old
“I am most proud of making nationals in basketball for Special Olympics Team Ohio. In addition to basketball, I have run the Flying Pig Marathon three times, including one year when I ran the 10K on Saturday, walked the 5K with a friend, handed out medals for PigAbilities and the dog race, and then ran the full marathon the next day. I got into running after I saw the Flying Pig on TV and thought, “I’m going to do that one day.” I ran my first marathon in 2014 and my personal record is 5 hours and 20 minutes.”
Photos of Sydney and Ryan by Amy Hayden
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