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RJ smiling for a photo; he has on glasses and a blue polo.

RJ Nealon

RJ Nealon is a Special Olympics North America communications fellow and athlete reporter, alumni of the University of Alabama and former ESPN intern.

Content By This Author

Special Olympics British Columbia Athlete Making Difference Within Community

David Johnston has many talents when it comes to playing sports. An athlete in several disciplines, Johnston, starting in 1988, competed in alpine skiing, five-pin bowling, snowshoeing, and many more; however, he says five-pin bowling and powerlifting are his “special sports.” “I got involved with Special Olympics when I was in school and I was put down all my life,” Johnston says about his start. “So, I found out about Special Olympics and how they accepted people and how we get the opportunity to compete.”
3 Min Read

Rose Pleskow Holds a Meaningful Role with Special Olympics Partner Brightspot

When Pleskow is not swimming in the Potomac River alongside her mom or running on the track, she can be found within the walls of Brightspot—a software development company just outside the nation’s capital in Reston, Virginia.
3 Min Read

Special Olympics Missouri Athlete to Pursue PGA Tour Membership Card

Thomas Cleek has been playing golf for as long as he can remember. The pairing—Cleek and golfing—was just one of those things that was meant to be.
2 Min Read

Special Olympics Oklahoma Fighting Peacocks Playing for Something Larger

It is an overcast sky in the middle of September as the leaves break away from the trees, signaling the changing of seasons.
4 Min Read

Special Olympics North America Championship Wraps up Day Two of Softball Competition

On a crisp and chilly Saturday morning at Peaks View Park in Lynchburg, Virginia, Special Olympics softball teams from across the United States and Canada joined together for the 2023 Special Olympics North America Softball Championship. Teams, both traditional and Unified, started in a round-robin format.
2 Min Read

Special Olympics Indiana Paves the Way with Athlete Internship Program

Part employment opportunity, part learning experience, internships are often an integral part of a person’s career development.
4 Min Read

Bethel University Student-Athlete Standout Creates Purpose Through Special Olympics

While playing college football at Bethel University, Jaran Roste discovered another passion: Special Olympics, leading him to become one of Special Olympics Minnesota's first student-athlete ambassadors.
4 Min Read

West All-Stars Win 2023 Special Olympics Unified All-Star Game

Just hours ahead of the MLS All-Stars facing off against Arsenal, both teams are focused. After all, it’s their All-Star moment: the Special Olympics Unified Sports All-Star Game.
3 Min Read

Patty Carosotto Finds Passion and Purpose in Childhood

It was all the lessons she learned along the way caring for him that would shape her career to what it is today.
4 Min Read

Providing a Voice for the Athletes, Speaking Opportunities by Special Olympics

Throughout the Special Olympics North America Region, Programs are creating opportunities for Special Olympics athletes to find their voices and share their powerful stories.
3 Min Read