Best Buddies are the Best Buddies

I know that headline probably seems redundant but it is a true statement.

What I mean is, the Best Buddies International Miami organization is THE BEST!

Ever since Nicholas (for those of you reading that might not know, Nicholas is my 23-year-old-son who has Down Syndrome) joined the Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School’s chapter, Best Buddies has had a huge impact on his life.

Best Buddies is led by Anthony Shriver and the organization’s entire mission is to advocate and create inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Anthony’s mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Special Olympics, an organization that hosts athletic competitions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It’s obvious the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Because of Best Buddies and their “Buddy System” Nicholas always had a “Buddy” during high school. That buddy was a member of the school’s chapter who was paired up with a person with disabilities. For Nicholas, those buddies were Andrew, Nadav and Eli.

Nick, with his eyes closed from exhaustion after walking and dancing on stage after the Best Buddies Friendship Walk. That’s Andrew Marcus on the left and his friend Geno Carfagna from the Citizens Program on the right.

Nicholas spent time with his buddies at school and on weekends doing typical high school things like grabbing frozen yogurt and just hanging out. To this day, Nicholas still keeps in touch with Andrew Marcus, his buddy for two years at Michael Krop. They speak almost every day, Andrew and his girlfriend baked Nicholas a special cake for his birthday last year, brought him balloons and showered him with gifts.

Nicholas also traveled to Tallahassee with his buddy Nadav to speak to state representatives on the importance of supporting Best Buddies and how the organization has positively impacted his life.

Nick speaking to an auditorium packed with students at Jose Marti Mast 6-12 Academy about the importance of inclusion. He was invited by Ms. Ferreira to speak to the school’s general population.

He also had amazing Best Buddies advisors at Krop High like Manny Quiroga and Kim Ferreira. He was even tapped to come and speak about the importance of inclusion to Ms. Ferreira’s students when she worked at a couple of other schools before she moved to Tennessee.

And since graduating from high school, Nick has been part of the Best Buddies Citizens program. Through that he met the wonderful Cynthia Fernandez who is the program’s Community Engagement Program Manager. Cynthia and her husband Tony are two of the most amazing people I’ve ever met and they have both also become a huge part of Nick’s life.

They have hosted countless get togethers at their home and taken Nick to many sporting events and dinner outings. They are caring, thoughtful, loving people that Nick adores.

Nick watching singer Flo Rida at one of the Best Buddies Friendship Balls, one of the many he’s attended.

Nick always looks forward to the yearly Best Buddies Friendship Walk and the Ball/Gala. Those events bring the community together and provide yet another inclusive gathering that creates awareness and provides much needed advocacy.

Best Buddies is a big part of the Gulliksen family and my immediately family and friends as well, who always are there to attend and support Nick at the many events he attends. We love the organization and what it stands for.

I hope you’ll read up on all the many wonderful programs they have and the heartwarming stories of the impact they have on people’s lives.

Thanks as always for reading, I hope this article helped shed some light on and inform you about this wonderful organization.

Stay tuned for next week when I’ll once again highlight cultural organizations and all the great work they’re doing around Miami. They’re coming back and their resilience during the pandemic is worthy of an article on my blog!

Until then, stay well and have a wonderful weekend and week.