So 9 months ago I ended my last blog post with a plea to Mrs Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921 – 2009), the founder of the Special Olympics: …. “if you have the chance, from wherever you may be, could you see what you could do to give all of the Warriors a great season next year??”

Well Mrs Shriver I can’t even begin to thank you…

“Golden State Warriors capture first Pacific Division Title since 1975”

“Golden State Warriors set franchise record with 76 season wins”

“Golden State Warriors finish season with best record in the NBA”

“Steve Kerr wins more games than any other first year head coach in history”

“Stephen Curry puts up 27 to win NBA All Star three point contest”

“Steph Curry sets new NBA single season three point record…breaking own record set last year.”

And of course the single most important moment of the season….

“Will Stoneburner has meet and greet with the Golden State Warriors after game”

Will and Steve Kerr

Will and Klay

Will and Steph

Mrs. Shriver, you have exceeded all of my expectations….and certainly I have no right to ask……but if you don’t mind:

“History, momentum likely on Curry’s side in MVP chase”

“Stephen Curry says Warriors’ season will be failure if they don’t win title”

“Will Stoneburner attends Warriors playoff game”

Ok maybe not that last one…but if you could see about those first two 🙂 

GO WARRIORS!!

Today is the birthday of a very special lady in my life. Today is the birthday of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Born July 10, 1921, her life only overlapped with mine by five years. But her influence is immeasurable.

For those of you that don’t know Mrs. Shriver, you might guess a few things by her name – sister of John F and Robert Kennedy- mother to Maria Shriver. But I think her most important relative was her sister Rosemary. You see, her sister Rosemary had an intellectual disability. Eunice was very saddened that there were no athletic opportunities for her sister. So much so that in 1962 she started “Camp Shriver”: inviting those with intellectual disabilities to participate in sports and physical activities. “Camp Shriver” grew year over year and in 1968 it became officially known as the Special Olympics. Today Special Olympics serves over 4 million athletes in 170 countries.

Special Olympics Basketball

Today, I am a Special Olympics 4 sport athlete – bocci, golf, swimming and my true passion, basketball. Special Olympics is definitely providing me all of the things Mrs. Shriver dreamed it would – competition, friendships, teamwork. But it also provides me something Mrs. Shriver might never have expected. Special O gave me Stephen Curry. Yep – I said Stephen Curry.

Reviewing Curry highlights online

Stephan is the man. But I only found him because of Special O. About a year ago, I was googling my Special O basketball team the “Warriors”. I found that there is an NBA team also called the “Warriors”. And they have a guard named Stephen Curry. I immediately was drawn to him because of course we play for the same team in the same position. I started watching his games. Reviewing his highlights on Youtube. Wearing his jersey. But we have so much more in common: we have faced some of the same challenges. He had doubters – who questioned his abilities. I face that every day. He silenced those doubters with his skills and performance – I humbly admit I have done the same. He has overcome physical limitations – ankle problems – to persevere in his sport. I have short arms – but I still have a 75% shooting percentage. He is someone I can look up to – and emulate – and dream of being like. He is someone who shows me by example that it can be done – and every kid needs that in their life – especially a kid like me. He is my hero.

So today Mrs. Shriver, I wish you a huge Happy Birthday but most of all I say thank you. Thank you for the Warriors. Thank you for Stephen Curry. Thank you for all of the games – both Special O and NBA – that mean so much to me. Thank you for the practices and the scrimmages and the victories and even the defeats. You have given me so much. But if I could, may I ask for one more little thing…..if you have the chance, from wherever you may be, could you see what you could do to give all of the Warriors a great season next year?? 

GO WARRIORS!!!!

If you can’t see the video, copy and paste into your browser: http://youtu.be/PiXTENmq_Lk

Some of you probably know that last month a momentous day occurred. On April 21, 2014 I turned 10 years old. I enjoyed the typical celebrations of a boy my age – party with my crew at Sempeck’s Bowling, family party at Cheesecake Factory, class party at school. I got lots of great presents. Ate lots of cake. Pretty much what you would expect.

But what I didn’t expect was my birthday epiphany. As you know, I am a guy deeper than most. So as I have now spent ten years on earth I took some moments to reflect on my experiences so far. What my life has been like. What I have experienced. What I have noticed. That is when it hit me – my birthday epiphany. It struck me like a bolt: I know why I am here. I know my purpose. To put it simply, I am here to make people happy*.

Let me explain. Everywhere I go – people get happy. People who were frowning – look at me and smile. Folks who were having a bad day – cheer up when I high five them. Moms in the stands at softball games. People in the grocery store. And sometimes people are not in the best of moods. Once I approached a woman getting her car jumped in the freezing Nebraska winter. She turned from her broken car to smile and chat happily with me. In the McDonald’s drive thru, the cashier making minimum wage in the sweltering heat, stops what he is doing to talk to me about my basketball uniform and suddenly there is a huge smile on his face. I don’t try to do it. It just happens. I have the power.

I don’t know why people react this way to me. Of course we all know I am adorable and charming. But I don’t think that is it. Maybe people see me and think about how lucky they are to have the life they have? Maybe I help people remember how humans should act towards each other? Maybe they are reacting to my happiness? . Or maybe…… just maybe….. we all have this power. Maybe what makes me special is that I choose to use it.

Whatever the reason, it is nice to know why I am here.

Below are some pix from bdays past and present. For those that see a broken link – you can copy and paste the link: http://youtu.be/aaUXS01KNNo into your browser – it will take you my private youtube channel to see the video. Watch it. I bet you’ll be happy.

*Disclaimer: This of course does not apply to Katherine M Stoneburner or Alexandra C Stoneburner. For the record, I will continue to torture and disgust them to the best of my ability according to the official code of brotherhood.

(Editor’s Note – Jason McClanathan is the coach of Will’s sister Katie’s soccer team – called OFC U12 Elite; Will plays soccer for the same soccer club in a program called TOPSoccer – designed for soccer players with disabilities)

Hey Jason,
I think you know who I am. I am #23’s brother. I get dragged to most of your games.

Anyway, I play soccer too. On Sunday nights. For TOPSoccer. You probably saw me last night. I was the one with all the moves.

Now listen, I like soccer as much as the next guy but the really great thing about TOPS is the volunteers. One Sunday there were 18-year old blonde co-eds from the University of Nebraska soccer team. The next Sunday there were 16-year old brunettes from Omaha Football Club. I could think of worse ways to spend my weekends.

So this Sunday on my way to TOPS, I notice my sister is wearing her red practice jersey. Well I don’t think too much about it…… until I get to the field. Then I see Parsons – she is in red too. And there is Rieff in red. And Lundgren. Red. Red. Red. Everywhere I see red.

And then it hits me………the volunteers this week are U12 Elite?!?!! Not cool bro!!!

Not only did you kill my buzz but I figured you were going to ruin my rep as a baller too. You see my peeps see me as a great athlete. But I knew what these girls would have planned for the next hour: “Oh Dibby you’re so cute”….“Give me a hug Dibby”. Ughhhh………

Well……..I am man enough to say when I am wrong. And I was wrong. I knew those girls take their soccer seriously but apparently they take all soccer seriously. They made us work! Dribbling, passing, shooting. I worked with McIlnay. She was relentless. They didn’t even let up in the scrimmage!

And don’t forget, we are not an easy bunch to coach. Many of us don’t talk. Couple of us don’t walk. And pretty much all of us like to do our own thing.

I gotta admit the girls handled it all with maturity and grace………………….sorry, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth. Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is that if they want to come back another time that would be ok with me. But don’t be afraid to throw a heads up to the little man next time.

And Jason, I ask you man to man, please no mention of this letter to the girls. No need to let them think I actually LIKE to hang with them.
Later Bro,
W

Tops Soccer April 13, 2014

The Warriors At State

Well there is no denying I had a huge weekend last week. First was Special O State Basketball. We came in second and I got to canoodle with Miss Nebraska. Second was my Cub Scouts banquet. I graduated to the next level of Webelos.

You might be thinking that this is another post detailing my accomplishments and accolades. Well it’s not. This post is a dedication.

A week ago I was with my mom at a doctor’s appointment. After seeing me, the nurse told us that she has a daughter with Down syndrome who is turning 50. She explained when her daughter was born in 1964 everyone in the hospital told her to put the baby in Beatrice. For those of you not from Nebraska, Beatrice was a huge state institution that finally lost its Medicaid permit due to abuse of the residents. The nurse said she never even considered putting her daughter there.

Tragically, when her daughter was a year old, the woman’s husband was killed in a house explosion. The poor man lingered in the hospital for weeks before dying. Once again all of the hospital employees told the nurse that she needed to commit her daughter – explaining that she would never be able to take care of her alone. At this point in the story my mom is crying and I am looking for the door thinking please someone commit me!

But the nurse never gave up her daughter. Instead, she put herself through nursing school and raised her daughter alone. Now her daughter lives independently and has a job. And of course they are both planning a big 50th bday bash.

On the way home I thought more about that nurse……..and what she did……..and what she must have faced. And I realized I owe her.

Because of parents like her – no one told my mom to put in Beatrice. Because of parents like her it is acceptable for me to go to school…..and to be in Cub Scouts….and to play basketball…..

She didn’t plan it – but she did a lot for me. The only way I can think begin to repay her is to live a life full of accolades and accomplishments. Which today I dedicate to her.

…….another victory.

Today is national Spread the Word to End the Word.  A day to raise awareness of use of the ‘R’ word.  The campaign asks people to pledge to stop saying the R-word as a starting point toward creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all people.

I know that as readers of my blog none of you would ever use the R word.  But you can still help.  The next time someone says the R word, call them out. Don’t let people get away with it.  You don’t have to be rude.  Just say “That is a really hurtful word.  And I have a nephew / neighbor / client / friend/ little boy I babysit / student etc. who has Down syndrome.  It makes me sad for him when I hear people use that word.”  Most people will be mortified.   They will apologize.  Most people don’t even realize they are saying it.  If you call them out once they most likely won’t use the word again.
If that doesn’t work tell them only Losers use the R Word.

Don’t Be A Loser!

Played in Regionals last weekend. Can’t talk long because I am in training for state. My press agent attached my highlight reel.

GO WARRIORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So when I head back to school my teachers are going to be all up in my grill to find out what I did over break. In an attempt to launch a preemptive strike I provide the below.

My 14 days of break – (hum to tune of 12 days of Christmas)

On the fourth day of break, at church I had to sing,
Happy Birthday to the baby king

Will and Aidan At St Thomas Christmas Eve

On the eighth day of break, thanks to Special O,
I played basketball with UNO

University of Nebraska Basketball Clinic

Will and His Helper

On the tenth day of break, I sat in the sixth row,
To see Memphis lose to Chicago

Post Game at the Fed Ex Forum

Pre Game – go Grizzlies!

On the twelfth day of break, I went to bowl and skate,
With my cousins Tristan and Tate

Bowling in Nashville TN

Singing Karaoke

On the last night of break, oh the biggest thrill
No school tomorrow due to Wind Chill!!

HAPPE NEW YEAR EVERYONE!