Frances Ocasio, 19-year-old Special Olympics Puerto Rico athlete is proudly representing her island, the host country, at the Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup. Today she is confident, focused, and determined, but her path to the team was not easy.
For years, Frances experienced bullying in her public school. She often felt alone and afraid, unsure of where she belonged. Everything started to change when she transferred to Francisco Gaztambide School in Bayamón. There, she found friends who accepted her, encouraged her, and made her feel safe. “They helped me overcome my fear of being alone,” she said. “Thanks to them, I was able to overcome the bullying.”
It was through this new school that she met Coach Jesús Cortés and discovered Special Olympics. Basketball became not only a sport for her, but also a community where she could grow, challenge herself, and believe in her abilities.
Now, standing on the world stage, Frances carries both nerves and pride. “Representing Puerto Rico makes me nervous because I don’t want to fail my team,” she shared. “But I’m very proud to be here. I want to do everything well so we can achieve our goal. I want to win and make my team happy.”
Frances is competing with heart, courage, and joy, showing the world what is possible when someone finds support, opportunity, and a team that believes in them.
