November 17, 2025
BRIGHTLINE CARES: SOUTH FLORIDA SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA ATHLETES ON THEIR QUEST FOR GOLD AT FALL CLASSIC GAMES ARRIVE IN ORLANDO IN STYLE ON BRIGHTLINE
Orlando, FL (November 17, 2025) – For the second consecutive year, Brightline Florida is proud to partner with Special Olympics Florida and Orlando Health to provide a memorable journey for more than 350 athletes and their families traveling from South Florida to Orlando for the highly anticipated Fall Classic games.
“We’re so thankful to Brightline and Orlando Health for providing such an amazing experience for our athletes competing in the Fall Classic,” said Lori Newcomb, Sr. Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, Cause Marketing & Foundation Relations for Special Olympics Florida. “Sharing the journey with their friends, families, and teammates aboard Brightline creates memories our athletes will treasure for a lifetime.”
Athletes from across the southern half of the state came aboard Brightline trains for a spirited ride to Orlando, where their arrival was met with cheers, high-fives, and a pep-rally-style welcome at Brightline’s Orlando Station. Supporters from both Brightline and Orlando Health were on hand to celebrate the athletes and coaches as they began their quest for gold at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
This initiative is part of Brightline Cares, the company’s corporate citizenship program dedicated to uplifting the communities it serves. Orlando Health, the Official Healthcare Sponsor for Healthy Athletes and Young Athletes of Special Olympics Florida, continues its commitment to championing inclusive health and wellness.
“We are honored to once again welcome these incredible athletes and their families aboard Brightline,” Patrick Goddard, CEO of Brightline Florida. “Their determination and spirit inspire us all, and we’re proud to play a small part in their journey to the Fall Classic. This partnership with Special Olympics Florida and Orlando Health reflects our shared commitment to inclusion, community, and celebration of human potential.”
Together, Brightline, Special Olympics Florida, and Orlando Health are creating unforgettable moments and reinforcing the power of community, compassion and meaningful connections.
ABOUT BRIGHTLINE
Brightline seamlessly connects travelers to top destinations and major events between Central and South Florida with stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The company offers a hospitality-centric experience designed to reinvent train travel at a comparable price to driving or flying. Brightline is recognized as one of TIME100’s Most Influential Companies, one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative by Fast Company and one of the fastest-growing private companies in the Southeast by Inc. The company focuses on city pairs that are too close to fly and too long to drive. Construction is currently underway to connect Las Vegas to Southern California. For more information, visit www.gobrightline.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA
Special Olympics Florida provides year-round sports training and competition, crucial health services, and life-changing leadership programs to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. It serves more than 80,000 Special Olympics athletes annually, at no cost to athletes or their families. To learn more, visit www.specialolympicsflorida.org.
ABOUT ORLANDO HEALTH
Orlando Health is a private not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system with $14 billion of assets under management, that serves the southeastern United States – including Florida and Alabama – and Puerto Rico. With corporate offices in Orlando, Florida the system provides a complete continuum of care across a network of medical centers and institutes, community and specialty hospitals, physician practices, urgent care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare, and long-term and behavioral health care services. Founded more than 100 years ago, Orlando Health’s mission is to improve the health and the quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. The system provided nearly $2 billion in community impact in the form of community benefit programs and services, Medicare shortfalls, bad debt, community-building activities and capital investments in FY 24, the most recent period for which the information is available. For more information, visit www.orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Ashley Blasewitz, Brightline, ashley.blasewitz@gobrightline.com
Michael Hicks, Brightline, mhicks@bltrain.com