Rising tide of Special Olympics lifts employee’s daughter
A dark green wave rises and crests, spilling over into a froth of white foam as it picks up steam and propels Alissa DiDomenico toward the shores of Fernandina Beach, north of Jacksonville, Florida. With her arms outstretched, Alissa kneels on her surfboard, eyes focused in concentration, and shifts her weight with the momentum, settling in for the ride as the water flattens over the hot sand.
Alissa’s father, JAX (Jacksonville) General Manager Paul DiDomenico, watches from nearby as she comes to a stop. Hopping to her feet, Alissa flashes a wide grin at her dad then turns, her board under one arm, and paddles back out to do it again.
It’s late June, and Alissa, 18, is in the thick of competition season as she seeks to represent Nassau County at the Special Olympics Florida State Surfing Championship in Cocoa Beach this September. If she’s successful, it will be her fourth consecutive state finals appearance, where she was a gold medalist in 2016 (the contest was cancelled in 2017 because of Hurricane Irma). Paul, a native Midwesterner more comfortable in the snow than in the sand, is nevertheless a fixture at all of Alissa’s events and weekend practices, joined by his wife, Marta, in the cheering section.
The water is Alissa’s sanctuary, the place where she feels most at home, like “a little mermaid,” Paul says. Pool therapy helped her build her strength when she was young, and by the time she began riding waves in 2014 she was already an accomplished swimmer. When Nassau County Special Olympics introduced surfing, Paul encouraged her to give it a try and Alissa was immediately hooked, drawn to the speed and grace inherent to the sport.
Apart from bringing her enjoyment, swimming and surfing have also had a transformative effect on Alissa as a person, helping to draw her out of her shell. She’s on the autism spectrum and has difficulties speaking, but the look on her face when she’s in the water says more than words ever could. Without Special Olympics, Alissa – and countless other children – wouldn’t have these kinds of experiences, which is why Paul is so glad to see United expand its partnership with the organization, which includes flying nearly 700 athletes to the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle and sponsoring the Special Olympics 50th Anniversary Celebration in Chicago.
“I see it as an opportunity for her to step out and do something that’s out of the ordinary, but also ordinary at the same time, because every kid plays sports,” says Paul. “This is her opportunity to play and socialize.”
As the morning session draws to an end, Alissa bobs in the water on her surfboard. A line of waves swell as they near the shoreline and she readies herself in a crouch. Before she can find her balance, though, her feet are swept out from under her, sending Alissa splashing into the Atlantic.
In an instant she’s back on her board, waiting for the next set of waves to roll in, and with them, her next chance. Before long, she’s gliding toward the beach once more, exhausted but happy, in a way that looks effortless. Competitions and medals are the farthest thing from Alissa’s mind as Paul meets her with open arms, her smile matched only by his. In that moment, she’s already won all there is to win.
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