After 47 Years, Michelle is going to her first National Games
“I started in 1979.” Michelle said, during an interview about her spot on Special Olympics Team PEI’s provincial team, heading to the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games Medicine Hat 2026.
“47 years.” Her sister replied. “We found— this old bowling trophy in the basement, it’s from—”
“1980.” Michelle said, holding up trophy proudly during her interview.
“That’s the oldest evidence we could find,” Ghislaine continued, “of her participation in Special Olympics bowling. So she’s been in it for a long time.”
As the younger sibling by four years, Ghislaine said she grew up with Special Olympics as long as she could remember, alongside Michelle the athlete. She believes it all started when one of their late parents first heard about Special Olympics through her father’s career, and thought it would be a good fit for Michelle. He was a pediatrician who founded Sherwood Home, a long term care facility for people with disabilities which—despite no longer being open—has been described as a vital part of Prince Edward Island’s history.
Friends with Jennifer and Tommy MacGuigan, Michelle said she is excited to go to a Special Olympics Canada Summer Games after hearing from her fellow PEI athletes how much fun they are. Jenny has already competed at one past National Games, while Tommy has been to over 19 previous Games, and will also be competing in Medicine Hat with his softball team.
“We have a letter from Matthew [McNally], the Chef de Mission here,” Ghislaine said, “saying Michelle made it.”
“Yay!” Michelle remembered saying. “Finally!”
During her time in Special Olympics, Michelle has participated in golf, swimming, and skiing. Currently, she still does bocce and 5-pin bowling. At Nationals, she is most looking forward to seeing the mountains in Alberta, and trading pins with other Special Olympics athletes from across Canada.
“But I think that her favourite thing [about sports like bocce and bowling],” Ghislaine said, “is that opportunity to play a game and feel a part of something she doesn’t necessarily need her language to do.”
Michelle agreed with this, and Ghislaine added, “she can just use her physical abilities to participate.”
Ghislaine added with a smile on her face that Michelle often comes out on top during family game nights, but that they never go easy on her, meaning Michelle learns how to win and how to lose. Unfortunately—as happens to all close-knit families after a certain amount of time—the O’Hanleys lost someone very important to them.
Michelle and Ghislaine opened up about the loss of their mother, and how having a community on the island helped them grieve after her death. Special Olympics PEI was somewhere Michelle found space to process her feelings, and move through them with sport. Ghislaine added that the death of a parent can be especially traumatic for someone with a disability who may not only love that person as an integral part of their family, but rely on them for caregiving support.
“For ‘mature’ athletes like Michelle whose parents are getting older,” she added, “Special Olympics is a place where they know they’re not alone, have a place to grieve and somewhere they are supported.”