Dustin Plunkett: Special Olympics saved my life

Full Frame

Dustin Plunkett could be a very unhealthy man sitting on the couch and watching basketball on TV, but instead he’s playing on the court.

Special Olympics has given Plunkett a new outlook on life. In fact, he owes his life to the organization. Thanks to the Healthy Athletes Program, which offers Special Olympic athletes free medical screenings, Plunkett’s doctors were able diagnose his gum cancer while it was still treatable.

After enduring years of bullying, Plunkett says his involvement in Special Olympics has brought him a sense of confidence and given him a new family. Within this community, for the first time in his life, he has found people who understand his unique struggles and who have given him the support to overcome them and thrive.

Plunkett has participated in Special Olympics for nearly 20 years, both as a competitor as well as a coach. But he says his next achievement is a dream come true. Plunkett is a member of the Board of Directors for Special Olympics Southern California, as well as LA2015 – the 2015 World Games Organizing Committee. He will be at the front and center of all the action at the World Summer Games in Los Angeles this month.

On this week’s episode of Full Frame, Dustin Plunkett sits down with Mike Walter to tell us why he thinks his athletes are some of the best in the world.

Follow Dustin Plunkett on Twitter: @DustinPlunkett

Dustin Plunkett: Special Olympics saved my life

Dustin Plunkett could be a very unhealthy man sitting on the couch and watching basketball on TV, but instead he’s playing on the court. Special Olympics has given Plunkett a new outlook on life. In fact, he owes his life to the organization. Thanks to the Healthy Athletes Program, which offers Special Olympic athletes free medical screenings, Plunkett’s doctors were able diagnose his gum cancer while it was still treatable.