Beyond the Game: A Special Olympics Pennsylvania Profile Series
Father, husband, Reading mayor, Special Olympics Pennsylvania coach, and world traveler.
Ed Moran has taken on many titles throughout his lifetime. So, when we met Ed this past September at the Special Olympics North America Softball Championship in Pittsburgh, PA, he was completely locked into his “Coach Ed” era.
At such a high-level competition, Ed was determined to be by his son’s side and assist the team as confidently as he could. Luckily, Ed had a moment to chat with us and share his experience, connection, and dedication to Special Olympics Pennsylvania.
“I have a unique part in Special Olympics. I’m a father, most importantly, of an athlete. Then I got so involved with my son’s involvement, that I became an assistant coach with softball and other sports within Special Olympics. I’m also very involved in my community, as I am the mayor for the city of Reading. I’m a big fan of anything that’s positive within my community, and Special Olympics is more than positive.
It gives me a lot of honor and privilege to be able to participate and be a part of it in many different aspects.
My son’s name is Danny. Danny’s been an athlete in different phases since he was eight or nine years old. But most recently, with Special Olympics, he started at 16, and now he’s 24. Danny started out with [soccer] but started softball within the last four years. He’s high functioning, but he’s not very sociable. Starting a conversation is challenging for him, but when he’s on the field, you can see him communicating and encouraging. That is something that gives me great honor to see.
In fact, Danny is a twin. He’s a twin to a so-called ‘typical’ young man who graduated from college with his master’s as an occupational therapist because he wanted to do something he saw his brother getting services for. They get along great. Danny’s friends are different from Tyler’s friends, so when Danny’s out on the field and I get to see him building relationships with teammates and supporting one another, that fulfills my heart.
Danny didn’t know how to build relationships. He always chose things where he wanted to do them by himself. For example, he’s a black belt in karate. He went to college, but he did it virtually. He always found things to do with just him until we found Special Olympics. When we saw his interest, that of course fulfilled our household.
In fact, I want to share Special Olympics also helped my family. Before, when Tyler played baseball, I would travel with him, and mom traveled with Daniel. Special Olympics has brought us together. My family is even here this weekend supporting Danny and his teammates, because we’re one big family.
It gives me a lot of gratitude knowing that Special Olympics unifies a community, unifies family members, unifies teammates. It creates synergy. A bunch of groups coming together for the greater good. That is something I always hold on to. To see that kind of camaraderie, seeing that kind of relationship building, seeing how proud these young men and women became in themselves. The encouragement from not only athlete to athlete, but parent to athlete, and community members to athletes…
That is something I always cherish and appreciate, to see that Special Olympics unifies a community in all different aspects.
We love outing, vacationing. Daniel is a butterfly when it comes to going out and experiencing different states, different areas of the world. We have been privileged to be able to do a little bit of that. Whenever we mention about going on a trip, Danny is 100% ready and willing to go. He’s extremely smart, so he researches where we want to go, he finds every eatery we want to try. When we’re on vacation, it’s because Danny has researched it. We do our part of finding the place, and he does his part of what we’re going to do while we’re there.
In our household, we love family. We love barbecuing, having friends over. We love spending quality time with others.
Daniel loves constantly researching. He always needs books and input.
We love Special Olympics because we’re building these relationships with people we want to hang out with. This weekend has been amazing for the fact that, we didn’t know if we had the funding to come here. Our community came together to help raise several thousands of dollars to make sure our teams got out here. It’s about our community becoming a big family.
I get really emotional I think about what it means to be a coach. I get really emotional because I’m not just here supporting my son, I’m here to support a bunch of individuals who don’t get that type of support. Who don’t get that kind of recognition or encouragement. The fact that I’m able to do that and give back in a different way helps me show community members that this isn’t about ourselves. It’s about a group that gets overlooked.
I get emotional because I love this so much. I’m encouraged to wake up every morning and be a part of this kind of organization. It makes me a better person. They may think I’m helping them, but they’re helping me by allowing me to be more giving and not be selfish.”
