Congratulations to Shailah Brousseau!!
Shailah was featured in the "inspiring stories" section of the Special Olympics Team USA website. The article is copied below. The original article can be found here:
http://www.specialolympicsteamusa.org/2011/inspiring-stories
When you think of the term “blended family,” there’s no such thing as typical. However, rhythmic gymnastics athlete Shailah Brousseau’s family defies the expectations of even that umbrella term. Shailah has seven siblings, four of whom are adopted and have special needs.
“I have planned on adopting my whole life,” says Lynn Brousseau, Shailah’s mother. “I have a special needs sister, Colleen. She is the one who inspired me to adopt.” After adopting her first two children, Cameron and Alex, Lynn had only planned on adopting one more, her son Stephen. However, when Lynn received a call saying that there was a little girl, she couldn’t say no.
“The only thing we have ever asked for is a girl, and that’s how we got Shailah.” Lynn says. Four years later, she received another call and received her fifth and final adopted child, Hope.
Lynn’s three biological children had been involved in sports as kids, and she wanted her adopted children to enjoy the same benefits that sports offer. Special Olympics was a natural fit. All of Lynn’s children are involved with Special Olympics Southern California, participating in basketball, bowling, and gymnastics.
“It’s important for them to be involved, and the more they are like everyone, the better,” Lynn says. “They are more like everyone else than people think. Special Olympics does that for them. It gives them a sense of accomplishment.”
A sense of accomplishment is just what Shailah strives for – and she should be feeling that when she heads to Greece this summer. Shailah will be representing Team USA in rhythmic gymnastics at the 2011 World Summer Games.
Shailah began her journey as an artistic gymnast. After a surgery on her knee, artistic gymnastics put too much pressure on her knee, so she made the switch to rhythmic. Shailah had to work hard to get back in shape and to learn the new routines.
“What I have noticed about her is that she really has a lot of natural dance ability,” says Team USA Coach Mary Fehrenbach. “She is very coachable.”
Mary has been working with Special Olympics for around 20 years now. “It has really opened my eyes and helped me to not set limits,” Mary says. “I try to allow them to do whatever it is what they want to in sports and in life.”
Shailah qualified for World Games during Southern California’s 2010 Summer Games, where she received gold medals in ball, hoop, ribbon, club, and best all around events. With five state-level gold medals under her belt, Shailah has her eyes set on gold this summer in Greece.
“It’s unfathomable that it’s going to be reality,” Lynn says. “We talk about Greece like it’s another entity.” Lynn, all seven of Shailah’s siblings, and several other family members are traveling to Greece to support Shailah in the 2011 World Games. “It wouldn’t mean as much to Shailah unless we all went, so I’m taking everybody.”
