Jack Mayor has a gift for public speaking. It was a difficult transition that left him feeling depressed, anxious, and hopeless. Through Best Buddies Jack met Josie—and his whole life changed. She was my best buddy for half my freshman year and all of my sophomore year.
Jack and Josie spent a lot of time together, from going out to lunch to attending Best Buddies dances. She even cheered him on at all his Special Olympics events. She gave him friendship and in turn, without even realizing it, also gave him his voice. Best Buddies saw something special in Jack and invited him to attend its annual leadership conference at Indiana University in During the event, he learned leadership and public speaking skills.
By the end of the conference he was one of seven selected to speak during the closing events. They gave him a platform to share his gift and the tools to use it. Everyone stood in awe of his story, his delivery, and how charismatic he was in front of everyone. Currently, he and his mom are establishing a Best Buddies group for young adults in Naperville. Visit bestbuddies.
