How Special Olympics Virginia helped Chesterfield man master multiple sports: 'It's given him a voice'

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Special Olympics Virginia’s Summer Games bring some of the best athletes from across the Commonwealth to Richmond to close out their spring seasons.

Travis Hunter from Chesterfield will be competing again this year. And with his history, he might be able to stage a tournament all by himself.

He has certainly come a long way since his first practice. While he is headed to this year's competition for bowling, Travis has taken part in almost every sport they offer over the past two decades.

"I did roller skating, and I did basketball," Travis Hunter recalled. "I did softball, swimming and I used to do soccer, but now I'm doing volleyball."

He has also competed in golf and speed skating.

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While some children with autism can plateau in their development during adolescence, Travis did not.

"He'll be 35 next month, and I keep thinking maybe he'll slow down a little bit," his mother, Diane Hunter, said. "No, he's not there. He wants to keep going."

Gray Hunter said his son is not a "sports watcher," but a "sports player."

"He wants to be out there," he said.

Travis represented Team USA in speed skating at the 2013 World Games in South Korea where he won two gold and one silver medal.

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From the age of 12, Travis has been involved in one sport or another.

"I like learning things and I want to get better and stronger," he said. "If I keep competing, I get better and strong."

His mother said sports have given Travis more self-confidence.

"He can approach people, he talks to people," she said.

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But that was not always the case as he was non-verbal until about the age of three.

Travis is aware of his past issues — even today.

"I have a hard time trying to talk to everybody," he acknowledged. "I couldn't speak and didn't know what was wrong with me."

Thanks to speech therapy and a lot of support and patience, Travis found his voice and got involved in any sport he could.

His parents credit Special Olympics with a great deal of his transformation.

"It's given him a voice," Diane Hunter said. "It's given him, 'I can do this. I'm going to try my best.'"

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Diane Hunter said the organization has helped shape her son into "the person that he is today."

"He's made lifelong friends. We've made lifelong friends," Diane Hunter said. "I don't even want to think about it."

Travis was so appreciative of all the support that he and his new friends received from the community, he was asked to give a speech to donors unbeknownst to his parents.

The young man who got a late start in expressing himself was now doing so for an entire group of athletes.

"The first time he gave one, I've got cold chills right now thinking about it.," Diane Hunter said. "I cried. Because I didn't expect that. It was very moving."

"I love giving out speeches to everybody. My mom was so proud and my dad," he said.

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Travis is now one of the best examples of what Special Olympics can do for young athletes.

The Hunters have this advice for anyone who has yet to give the organization a try.

"A lot of people are apprehensive about checking in to it," Gray Hunter said. "They don't think their child would fit. That's not the case."

"All you've got to do is do your best and try hard and keep learning until you get better," Travis said.

The Hunters wanted to pay special recognition to Marjorie Loya, the teacher who first got Travis started with Special Olympics.

Travis said the hardest sport he tried was golf, which is one of his favorites because he got to play with his dad and his brother.

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