Caros Come Away Winners at Special Olympics

Editor's note: This is the first of several features planned celebrating the accomplishments of Warren's Special Olympics participants at the Summer Games in Trenton. Watch for the additional stories this week.

The way Maria Caro saw it, the real results of all of her daughter's swimming races were known before anyone even got in the water.

"Even is she doesn't win, she's a winner already," noted Mrs. Caro of her daughter, Cristina, both Warren residents.

This was a sentiment shared by everyone that knows Cristina Caro, and the sentiment of a lot of the athletes and families attending the Special Olympics Summer Games, held this past weekend at The College of New Jersey.

As luck would have it, Cristina, age 30, is also a pretty good swimmer. She competed in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle races at the Summer Games. She even
got the joy of having her mother watch as she collected a medal on Saturday.

"Look, mom. Look," Cristina said as she came off the victory stand.

It was the kind of moment all parents savor. It was the kind of moment all parents of children with disabilities wonder whether or not will ever happen.

"This is just so exciting," Mrs. Caro said. "This is wonderful."

Not too bad for someone who didn't even like the water five years ago.

"Cristina came to us as a non-swimmer," noted Carol Croll, the head coach
of the Somserset Stingrays swim team. "She didn't even put her face in the water
when she started swimming. Now, she's swimming 100 meters -- that's four laps --
in a competitive pool. When you think about that, it's remarkable."

Cristina Caro was one of more than 2,300 athletes competing in the Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games. The annual event featured a torch run, an Opening Ceremonies and competitive events in tennis, swimming, softball, bocce, powerlifting and track and field.

There were over 1,500 volunteers on hand to help make the Summer Games run
smoothly.

"Volunteers and spectators who attend Summer Games witness first-hand the
passion our athletes have to succeed," said Lillian Narvaez, Vice President of
Sports for Special Olympics New Jersey. "It's a great opportunity to gain an
understanding of how our athletes' sheer determination defines the character of
a person anyone would want to call their teammate."

Obviously, Maria Caro and Carol Croll agree.

If you ask Cristina about the Special Olympics, she'll tell you, "I like it. I like to do anything."

"She's an amazing youg lady," Mrs. Croll said.

"This is very special to all of us. Special Olympics is very social. We know each other's families and we go to each other's parties."

They also help each other. When Cristina struggled to understand a few questions, one of her teammates stepped in to help out.

"They're just people you want to be around," Mrs. Croll. "So lovely. So patient."

So willing to work hard and get better.

"Look at Cristina. She's not afraid of the water anymore," Mrs. Croll said. "She's winning medals now. To be that much better is remarkable."