A couple of months ago, Special Olympics held the largest sports and humanitarian event of 2019, the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Before the competition opened and the Games began, over 100 law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes, the Guardians of the Flame, carried the Flame of Hope, throughout all seven of the United Arab Emirates before safely delivering it to the Opening Ceremony in Abu Dhabi. One of those runners was Sherrie Eadie, a Special Olympics athlete from New South Wales, Australia. She was one of ten Special Olympics athletes who were selected to run alongside law enforcement.
This was Sherrie’s first time attending a World Games and participating in the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for Special Olympics. Before coming to Abu Dhabi, she trained for eight months to prepare for running the Final Leg. Law Enforcement Torch Runs happen all around the world locally, regionally, and nationally, and they showcase inclusion at its finest. Officers and athletes come together to spread excitement, fundraise, and raise awareness about Special Olympics, and by doing so, especially on a global level, they show the world that they practice what they preach. In fact, Sherrie said, “I had never knew or heard the word inclusion until I had been part of the Final Leg.” Click here to read more about Sherrie's Final Leg experience!
