Home doesn’t always mean one specific place; sometimes it’s many places, and other times it’s the community we choose to be a part of. For Stefanie Curtis, home was once Berlin, Germany, where she was surrounded by family, "great food," and her two best friends who lived down the street. She didn’t grow up dreaming of gold medals or competing in national competitions. In fact, sports weren’t a part of her life at all (aside from kicking the soccer ball around with her brother occasionally).  But after moving to the United States when she was 12 years old, it was through sports that she found her “new home.”

When her family moved to the United States, first to Florida and later to Massachusetts, everything changed. Adjusting to a new country meant learning a new language and finding her place in unfamiliar schools and communities.

“It was really hard,” she said, “It was difficult for me speaking English. I had to go to an ESL program. That helped me out a lot. I read books in English. I watched TV.”

Little by little, Stefanie's confidence in learning English grew; but building friendships felt like the biggest challenge. That’s when Special Olympics came into her life. Stefanie first joined Special Olympics while living in Florida. Later, after moving to Massachusetts, a friend’s mom encouraged her to try swimming—and that decision changed everything.

From the start, the Auburn Rocketeers Swim Team felt different.

“They always text me. They always talk to me. They invite me to stuff,” she said. “They make me feel like a great person. It helped me come out of my shell—to meet different people. I just feel like they’re a big family to me. I can’t express it more.”

For Stefanie, Special Olympics Massachusetts became more than a place to train. It became home. It was also through Special Olympics that she met her husband, Sean. Over a decade ago, Stefanie and Sean were both competing at Summer Games—but on different teams.

“I saw him and I was like, ‘Hmm, okay,’” she said. Later, on the bus ride back to the hotel after competing, she asked him directly if he had a girlfriend. He joked, “Do you see a ring on my finger?” That conversation sparked a relationship that would eventually grow into marriage.

Today, Sean is not only her husband but also her biggest supporter. She explained that with Sean by her side, every victory feels more meaningful—especially the announcement that came after the 2025 Summer Games! After a strong 55M freestyle performance at the 2025 Special Olympics MA summer games, Stefanie’s hard work secured her the gold medal and a spot on the Team Massachusetts delegation for the 2026 USA Games in Minnesota!

And now she trains with a whole new team of athletes from across the state, who are challenged together by coach Jay Barnes. In one of their first practices together, Coach Jay asked Stefanie to try a standing dive into the pool, which was completely new to her. She admitted to being a little nervous but, “I like being pushed. And he's a good teacher. I gotta give him that.”

The pool isn’t just a place for Stefanie to swim; it’s a place to grow and be herself. What began as a way for Stefanie to just try something new became the foundation of her identity in a new country… it became her home.

Her advice to others who are struggling to find their place is simple: “Just go out there. Try to find friends. Ask about Special Olympics in your area. Have fun. Be friendly. You can find friends. Share your life with people.”

Learn more about Stefanie and support her journey to the 2026 USA Games!