Fifty-four athletes from Illinois are preparing to compete in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, which begin in Minnesota in June. Before heading there, athletes and local law enforcement gathered at Soldier Field in Chicago on Friday for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg, a ceremonial send-off event.
The event began with the lighting of the Flame of Hope at Soldier Field, which is recognized as the birthplace of the Special Olympics. The Flame of Hope will make its first-ever coast-to-coast journey before arriving in Minnesota for the start of the games.
For some athletes, the event carried personal meaning beyond the competition ahead. Alex Huegea, who previously competed in athletics at the Special Olympics, took on a different role this time. "Running was actually my way of destressing," Huegea said. "I got to compete last time in athletics, and now this time I get to serve in another capacity. So I get to run the torch."
April Papke of Naperville is competing in the Special Olympics for the first time. "I'm competing in bocce for USA games in Minnesota, and I'm very excited," Papke said.
Local law enforcement officers ran alongside athletes during the torch run as a symbol of unity. For Debbie Henning of the Lockport Police Department, the cause is personal. "This cause is very near and dear to me as I have a brother who's a Special Olympic athlete," Henning said. "When I became a police officer, I felt the need to go out and raise the funds to help athletes be able to continue to compete."
Pete Beale-DelVecchio, president and CEO of Special Olympics Illinois, described what the organization means to its participants. "Special Olympics at its core really is about belonging, you know, in a world where a lot of our athletes, people with down syndrome, fragile X, somewhere on the autism spectrum, aren't typically welcomed in the world and don't have a place. And if you ask any one of our athletes, probably the No. 1 thing they'll tell you that they love about Special Olympics is it's where their friends are. It's where they belong," Beale-DelVecchio said.
The games in Minnesota are set to begin in June.
