Stefanie Curtis had a different path to Special Olympics. Growing up in Berlin, Germany, there was no local programming for Special Olympics, so she found other ways to stay active as an adolescent.
“It was different,” Curtis said about living in Berlin. “There was no Special Olympics where I grew up, so I pretty much just hung out with my family. We always went to my grandmother’s house and the dog park.”
But on March 16th, 1996, when she was just 12 years old, her family made the move to Florida. She didn’t speak English, and the adjustment to the heat and humidity was significant, but she had to participate in school and make friends. So, Curtis got involved in a variety of sports at school and still currently competes in Special Olympics swimming, bowling and cycling. That time in her life was essential to her becoming the person she is today.
In addition to helping her adjust to a new country and culture, joining Special Olympics brought so much into Curtis's life. It’s where she met her husband, Sean Curtis, and now, she’s getting to represent Special Olympics Massachusetts at the upcoming 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a swimmer.
“It was amazing to get selected, and this is my first time going,” Curtis said. “I am happy to be supporting Team Massachusetts.
“I’m currently training now and soon I’ll be training with the [Massachusetts] team in Greendale [for USA Games], and they’ll help me learn how to dive in the pool.” She joked that, “I don’t really like the diving block, I like diving from the side.”
Curtis knows the USA Games are the biggest stage she’s ever competed on and because of that, she’s working extremely hard to be ready for competition, training at the local YMCA every other day.
“We are incredibly proud to have Stefanie as part of Team Massachusetts as a swimmer for the 2026 USA Games,” Christian McCormick, the head of delegation for Team Massachusetts, says. “Her dedication, spirit, and passion embody everything our team stands for, and we look forward to cheering her on as she proudly represents Massachusetts on the national stage!”
When Curtis is not participating in Special Olympics activities, she volunteers at Oriol Nursing Home and Rehabilitation. For more than a decade, Curtis has been a fixture calling bingo and assisting anywhere else she’s needed.
Curtis has experienced different cultures and seen the world in ways not many have. She’s had to learn a new language to live the life she wanted in the United States. And she’s accomplished a ton.
Now, she’ll get to add another accomplishment that she can be proud of.
