2026 Honorees

For Greg, Special Olympics is more than just athletics. He is a trained ambassador for all aspects of Special Olympics: Sports Training and Competition, Healthy Athletes, Athlete Leadership, and an Advocate for Inclusion. His role as a Global Messenger empowers him to speak about Special Olympics and share his story with SOSC supporters and the community. He has given interviews with news outlets, both in print and on television. Greg’s story is an example of how SOSC has played an integral role in his life. However, an extremely critical aspect for him has been the Healthy Athletes Program. In 2017, he had a life-threatening jaw infection which was discovered during a visit to the Special Smiles screening tent at a Championship Competition. Greg received an immediate referral to one of SOSC’s incredible Medical Partners where it was determined that he needed emergency surgery, and afterward requiring months of daily antibiotics – thus saving his life. He is grateful for his good health today, thanks to the Healthy Athletes Program!

Greg is a passionate supporter of the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) program, assisting Southern California agencies in their fundraising efforts for Special Olympics. He has participated in Tip-A-Cop dinners, the annual Plane Pull event and even rappelled 18-stories down a building. As recognition of his dedication to the program, Greg will be inducted into the Bill Shumard LETR Hall of Fame as the 2026 Athlete of the Year. When not participating with Special Olympics, Greg is a decorated key volunteer at the Disabled Resources Center in Long Beach. An avid movie collector, his hobbies also include cheering for the USC Trojans and observing the skies with his many telescopes.