After three decades and hundreds of Special Olympics athletes, Suzanne Pedicelli may have faced some of her own hurdles, but she shows no sign of slowing down.
A recipient of the Order of Canada and countless other awards, Pedicelli has shown tireless dedication to helping out special athletes, like her own daughter, Sandra.
"We started a swimming program and a track and field program with 22 athletes. Now we've reached with 14 programs with 325 athletes," said Pedicelli, who, alongside her sister Michelina DeCesaris, began volunteering for the cause in 1979. She focuses on the southwestern part of Montreal.
Along the way, Pedicelli has been diagnosed with cancer twice, and broken both her leg and her wrist. It hasn't stopped her, said her sister.
"She has the courage to keep on going. Even though she has her own sickness, she keeps on going. So we follow her," said DeCesaris.
Pedicelli's reason is simple.
"To see those happy faces on a weekly basis," she said.
Pedicelli acts as a second mother to all the athletes.
"She's like a family to me," said athlete Stephen Denham. "Suzanne is a great person, has a very good attitude. I really like her a lot since I was a kid growing up at Peter Hall School," where Sandra was a student.
"From those who have severe disabilities to those who have very light disabilities, she sees all of them as her kids," said Special Olympics coach Cindy Jones. "She's their voice. She would never do it for herself, but for others, she's like a pit bull."
For all her hard work, Pedicelli said the real reward is seeing the athletes enjoy themselves.
"As long as they're happy. If it grows, it means we can offer more services for more people," she said.
Bowling head coach Susan Burgess said despite her many accolades, Pedicelli is extremely humble.
"She is very self-deprecating. She thinks that she's just doing what anybody else would do and she's not," she said. "She's phenomenal."
