Meet Michael DeVries Special Olympics makes a difference in his life — every day We’d like to introduce you to Michael DeVries... a man of few words who can recite his team’s score from the last 10 basketball games. (It’s no surprise that he named the family cat Michael Spalding Jordan.) Michael DeVries, right, and his sister Tracy (the first to understand his speech) as children. [All photos courtesy of the DeVries family] Michael is a 32-year-old with autism, a developmental disability that most often results in difficulty communicating and forming personal relationships. Michael didn’t speak at all until he was 7 years old. His sister Tracy, just turning 4, was the first to understand him. His inability to express himself could have made his world very lonely — but Special Olympics offered him a way out. It gave him the opportunity to build relationships and gave him something he was proud of and wanted to talk about. Michael’s Special Olympics experience started in elementary school and he is still active in three sports today. Basketball is his favorite sport, with a career scoring high of 20 points in a game. He also loves Special Olympics football (soccer) and softball — and having his devoted family show up at all his Special Olympics games to cheer him on. From the desk of Tracy DeVries “To look at my brother Michael (pictured here with me in 2001), you might not think there is anything different about him. But please believe me when I tell you that his autism deprives him of the ease of communication that we take for granted.     “When he started speaking at the age of 7, I seemed to understand him best and often translated for the rest of the family. Nevertheless, the communication barrier isolated him and made him miss out on so much.     “When Special Olympics came into Michael’s life, everything changed for the better. Special Olympics helped Michael to develop his athletic abilities, which I think formed a bridge between Michael and others. People took the time to get to know Michael. Once they did, they saw what a wonderful guy he was, and became his friends.     “Now, thanks to Special Olympics, I see Michael succeeding in ways I never thought were possible. He is so proud of his Special Olympics medals!     “For my part, I love coaching Michael’s soccer team for Special Olympics. Traveling to competitions with his team is so much fun. They are such a happy bunch! My volunteer time is nothing compared to what Special Olympics — and its supporters — have given to Michael and thousands of others with intellectual disabilities.     “Please do what you can to support Special Olympics — you’re making such a huge difference in the lives of people like my brother.” Thank you, Tracy DeVries You could say that Special Olympics is a true family affair for the DeVries. Tracy works for Special Olympics, and is a volunteer coach in her spare time. In fact, she coaches Michael’s Special Olympics soccer team. “I can’t begin to express my gratitude to Special Olympics and all the people who support it for what they’ve done for my brother,” Tracy says. “The kids in Michael’s high school didn’t understand autism,” Tracy adds. “Special Olympics gave him the confidence to go out for sports — he ran track in high school and served as a statistician for the boy’s basketball team. Sometimes he’d practice with the boy’s basketball team, and they were always impressed with his half-court shots. Through these sporting activities, kids got to know him on a one-on-one basis and he made friends. It changed his life for the better.” Michael was able to translate his sports experience from Special Olympics to another important part of his life — Boy Scouts. Michael made Eagle Scout, and now, in addition to his part-time job at a day care center, Michael is an assistant troop leader where he is the Sports Merit Badge counselor. “I teach the scouts about sportsmanship,” Michael says. “To me that means to accept losing ... although I like it better when I win!” Michael works hard to keep his Special Olympics basketball skills sharp. He practices once a week with his Special Olympics team, and spends his spare time on personal practice drills and in pick-up games at a local recreation center. Michael DeVries, right, competing in football (soccer). His coach — and sister! — says, "I love coaching Michael’s soccer team for Special Olympics." Each time Michael hits a shot from the 3-point line, he learns a little more about the value of persistence and a positive attitude in realizing his dreams. Special Olympics has helped Michael come a long way. But for every athlete like Michael that we touch, there are thousands more in your community waiting, hoping for the opportunity, along with countless others around the world. If you’d like to help to bring Special Olympics into the lives of more individuals like Michael and help make their dreams come true please make a donation online now. And, if you want to do even more, please attend a local competition (to locate the Special Olympics Program near you, use our Program Locator). Your cheers will really help build our athletes’ self-esteem. As Michael says, “Hearing people cheer for me makes me feel like I can do anything!”