nsnews.com: https://www.nsnews.com/national-news/frank-hayden-canadian-researcher-who-ignited-special-olympics-movement-dies-at-96-12295386

Speaker: —
Subject: K000393
Source: GDELT news · original
Published: Monday, May 18, 2026

irectly connected to their disabilities," Special Olympics Canada's statement said. "Hayden’s body of work challenged that mindset – one that claimed it was the disability itself that prevented people from fully participating in play and recreation." Hayden's research caught the attention of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former U.S.

Full text

3,000 chars

Frank Hayden, Canadian researcher who ignited Special Olympics movement, dies at 96 - North Shore News Skip to content &times; Support Us Sign in or register for your free account Home News Local News In the Community BC News National News World News Real Estate News Business Wire Local Sports National Sports World Cup 2026 Animal Stories Digital Edition Opinion Opinion Send us a letter Arts & Life Local Arts Living Driving Features Readers Choice Weather Crossword Gas Prices Public Notices Special Print Features North Shore Homes Sponsored Content Spotlight Curated Explore the Shore Best Bites of the Shore Homes Events Classifieds View Classified Ads Place a Classified Ad Obituaries View Legacy Obituaries View Local Obituaries Place an Obituary Connect Contact Us Daily Headlines Email Support Local News Search Type Site Listings Directory Search Join our Newsletter Home National News Frank Hayden, Canadian researcher who ignited Special Olympics movement, dies at 96 For many Canadians who have an intellectual disability or know someone who does, Frank Hayden is a treasure. Fakiha Baig and Aaron Sousa, The Canadian Press May 18, 2026 12:40 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Dr. Frank Hayden, builder of the Special Olympics, is part of the 2016 class of inductees into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame at the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Ridewood For many Canadians who have an intellectual disability or know someone who does, Frank Hayden is a treasure. "His advocacy changed the lives for thousands of intellectually disabled people across the world, including my own brother," said Chris Lewis, a former Ontario Provincial Police commissioner and retiree, in an interview from his home in Burlington, Ont. "My brother (has autism) and wouldn't even talk to a stranger. When they said, 'Hi,' he would turn the other way. Now he has interpersonal skills. Had Frank not done the work that he did, none of this would have ever happened." Hayden, who sparked the idea to create Special Olympics Canada and later spearheaded the organization, died Saturday. He was 96, the organization said in a statement. Hayden was born in Windsor, Ont., and grew up further east in St. Catharines. His groundbreaking research in the 1960s found that exercise could transform people with an intellectual or developmental disability, such as autism or Down syndrome. "It was assumed that their low fitness levels were directly connected to their disabilities," Special Olympics Canada's statement said. "Hayden’s body of work challenged that mindset – one that claimed it was the disability itself that prevented people from fully participating in play and recreation." Hayden's research caught the attention of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy. In 1965, the Kennedy Foundation gave Hayden a call. Shriver and H

More on this subject

pac.dog is a free, independent, non-partisan research tool. Every candidate, committee, bill, vote, member, and nonprofit on this site is mirrored from primary U.S. government sources (FEC, congress.gov, govinfo.gov, IRS) and each state's Secretary of State / election commission — no third-party data vendors, no paywall, no editorial intermediation. Citations to the originating source are on every detail page.