Megan Flaherty is consistently “the life of every party.”
“When we have our dances, Megan is the first one on the dance floor,” said Heidi Hines, a paraprofessional at John Stark Regional High School, where Flaherty is a senior.
As music began playing on the State House lawn on Saturday morning ahead of the Best Buddies Friendship Walk, Flaherty, dressed in a pink shirt to match her glasses, broke into her favorite dance moves. The grin radiating on her face spread throughout the crowd.
Her mom, Carrie Flaherty, said participating in the Best Buddies program has been transformative.
“She’s had a lot of opportunities to meet different people, and she loves being with all of her peers. It’s really heartwarming to see how many buddies have joined the program,” she said.
The walk celebrated those lasting friendships between individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their peers.
The gray, rainy weather did not stop a large crowd from amassing for the event— nor did it squelch the vibrant spirit of Megan and other attendees.
Her school, John Stark, has around 50 participants in the Best Buddies program, which cultivates bonds between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. About 35 of them attended the walk, said Hines, who has been working with Megan for the past four years.
Megan participates in a life skills program through the school, which further promotes inclusion.
“It’s really helped her,” her mom said. “She’s getting what she needs at her level, and she’s able to go out and do art classes, which are her favorite, with the general population. And it’s not like a separate entity. They really, really do work on including everybody.”
Best Buddies, which has chapters throughout the country and even internationally, serves as a source of empowerment for participants, said keynote speaker Kiontis Gallion, a global ambassador for the organization.
“I want to show that people with disabilities should not be limited,” said Gallion, who hails from Wisconsin. “I discovered that my autism is not a disability but my special ability.”
He first got involved in high school at the encouragement of a teacher, who recognized how bullied and lonely Gallion felt.
Participating in Best Buddies gave him a “higher purpose,” a sense of leadership and a broader circle of friends,
“You have an amazing gift,” he told the crowd. “Let your light shine and share it with others. You have the potential to have a voice and motivate and inspire others. You are the champion in your domain.”
That’s what Megan does on a regular basis, whether through her fabulous outfits, her dynamic dance moves or her effervescent smile. Her mom loves to see others return that same energy that her daughter shares with the world.
“It’s so nice to see,” Carrie Flaherty said. “They cheer her on at unified basketball. They cheer her on at track. They say hi to her when they see her out and about.”
