SPECIAL OLYMPICS CHICAGO

It was disappointing that the cold, rainy weather conditions in the Windy City cancelled one of my favorite events of the year today, but the emotions still run high. The importance and impact upon me of this incredible experience every spring is one that I feel needs to be shared and retold around this time each year. This story is very personal to me, coming from the bottom of my heart. I am always grateful from the moment that I wake up on this special day that I will have the opportunity to be a part of a unique Chicago event. Despite the fact of having had the honor to play a role in the celebration for well over thirty years by leading the crowd in the singing of our National Anthem, I still feel a tremendous sense of joy that makes me appreciate the hard work and the love that goes into this glorious event.

It has been my great honor to sing our National Anthem thousands of times over the many years of involvement with sports, civic functions and corporate events. Included on that list, is the World Series, All-Star Games in MLB, NHL, AHL, IHL and NBA, NHL, AHL Finals, NFL games, College National Championship games, standing alongside Presidents of the United States, World dignitaries, giants of industry, and even before more than a million people at celebrations in Grant Park, more than once! Despite covering just about all the bases and every kind of sports and civic event that can be named… yet… this one moment has captured a place in my heart unlike any other. It is the Opening Ceremonies of the Chicago Special Olympics Games at Soldier Field, that sadly fell victim to the weather this year.

I was looking forward to this day, as I always do, to witness the beaming faces emerging from the busses in the parking lot, to the triumphant parade of spirited athletes, one can learn a lot about pure joy and excitement that life can bring... if we only take the time to stop, look and listen. Hundreds of Special Olympians file past the reviewing stand on their parade route to their designated seats in the stadium to proudly stand and sing the National Anthem along with me at the top of their beautiful voices. It is what may best be described as an enormous group hug. I feel that if I were given my voice to sing just one event each year…it would surely be this one.

My hat is off to my dear friend, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke for her pioneering vision to make Special Olympics a dream come true for so many beautiful souls over the now 50-plus year tradition of Special Olympics since the very beginnings at Soldier Field in 1968. My involvement and participation has been a privilege as well as a labor of love. I pray that we continue together for many more years to come. I also hope that Mother Nature will give us a break next year by gracing us with a warm day, filled with an abundance of sunshine and a sea of smiles as far as one can see. To borrow a phase that has been spoken so many times before in Chicago, I say, "...wait 'til next year!" Truth is, I can't wait to be a part of this love fest again. It's a shame to have missed all the high fives, the warm hugs and the happy tears, but the Games will go on next week, despite the fact that the Opening Ceremonies got rained out. You can bet that I'll be ready to sing next spring when the magical moment happens once again. To honor the athletes of Special Olympics, it is fitting to call to mind the phrase that they recite that truly captures the spirit of the Games, "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

Amen to that!