Eunice Kennedy Shriver, American activist, founded the Special Olympics (b. 1921)

Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver (July 10, 1921 – August 11, 2009) was an American philanthropist and a member of the Kennedy family. She was the founder of the Special Olympics, a sports organization for persons with physical and intellectual disabilities. For her efforts on behalf of the disabled, Shriver was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984.

She was a sister of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, U.S. Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Edward Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, and U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith, as well as the sister-in-law of Jacqueline Kennedy. She was married to Sargent Shriver, who was the United States Ambassador to France and was the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1972.