BRIGHTLINE CARES: SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA ATHLETES FROM SOUTH FLORIDA ARE “ON TRACK” FOR GOLD WITH BRIGHTLINE

Miami, FL (May 19, 2025) – Today, Brightline teamed up with Special Olympics Florida and Orlando Health to host more than 400 athletes, coaches and volunteers heading to the State Summer Games in Orlando. The group received an inspiring send-off at Brightline MiamiCentral and warm welcome at the Brightline Orlando Station in partnership with Orlando Health to cheer them on for a weekend of competition. This event also served as the launch of Brightline Cares, the company’s corporate citizenship initiative. 

 

“Brightline is about connecting communities, and we’re excited to sponsor more than 400 athletes, coaches and volunteers traveling this weekend, as part of our corporate citizenship program, Brightline Cares,” said Patrick Goddard, chief executive officer, Brightline Florida. “Brightline Cares is an initiative that supports progress towards a better tomorrow for our communities, including creating meaningful connections like bringing Special Olympics Florida athletes to Orlando for competition.”

 

Athletes traveling to the State Summer Games were able to relax on board and prepare for the competition. Each Brightline station is ADA accessible and equipped with elevators and escalators to access the lounge and station platforms. Brightline trains have been designed to maximize accessibility and with interior aisles wider than any other train and level boarding, utilizing a “gap filler” that literally bridges the gap and height change between the train and platform. Thanks to wide aisles, wheelchair storage and fully accessible restrooms, the trainsets exceed ADA requirements from end to end.

 

“We are so grateful to Brightline and Orlando Health for creating such an incredible experience for our athletes participating in the State Summer Games,” said Special Olympics Florida President and CEO Sherry Wheelock. “Traveling with their friends, family, and teammates to the Games on Brightline’s state-of-the-art trains is an unforgettable memory that the athletes will carry with them throughout their lives.”

 

“Orlando Health is proud to partner with Special Olympics Florida and Brightline to welcome these talented athletes as they begin their journey to greatness at the State Summer Games in Central Florida,” said Cary D’Ortona, President, Orlando Health Medical Group and Vice Chair, Board of Directors Special Olympics Florida. “It demonstrates our commitment to these competitors who count on Orlando Health for their care during the Games and beyond.”

 

The State Summer Games is the biggest event on the Special Olympics Florida sports calendar with more than 2,500 participants from around the state traveling to compete in seven different sports at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and USTA National Campus.

 

Brightline's partnership with Special Olympics Florida and Orlando Health reflects a shared commitment to inclusivity and community support. Accessing healthcare and transportation can be challenging for people with intellectual disabilities, and this collaboration highlights how Brightline, Orlando Health, and Special Olympics Florida are working together to provide athletes with essential services. Once at the games, athletes will receive free health screenings provided by Orlando Health.

 

The athletes, coaches and volunteers traveled to the State Summer Games in Orlando leaving from Miami along with Brightline stations in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Teammates and volunteers cheered them on as they departed South Florida, and food and refreshments were graciously donated by Pepsi and Cheney Brothers. The athletes will return to South Florida via Brightline on Saturday.

 

For more information on the State Summer Games visit www.specialolympicsflorida.org/events and for Brightline, visit www.gobrightline.com.

 

–GOBRIGHTLINE–

 

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 75,000 Special Olympics athletes annually, at no cost to athletes or their families. To learn more, visit www.specialolympicsflorida.org.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS

Ashley Blasewitz, Brightline, ashley.blasewitz@gobrightline.com

Michael Hicks, Brightline, mhicks@bltrain.com