On Friday, May 12th Fernway’s student assembly featured a visit from Special Olympics speed skater Tommy Shimoda.
Shimoda recently won a gold medal in the 500-meter race at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria. He also brought home a bronze medal in the 777-meter event. He was the only Chicago athlete to participate in the international games, which featured 32 different Olympic competitions.
Diagnosed with autism as a child, Tommy uses a speech-generating device to communicate. With a charming smile, Tommy enthusiastically responded to questions composed by Fernway students. Barb Shimoda, Tommy’s mom, along with Coach Kevin Coyne, shared some of their experiences from their journey with Tommy.