At just 11 years old, what would you have chosen: the spotlight on a competitive team, an after-school club with friends, or something bigger? Meet Talia Zizza, an 11-year-old from Shrewsbury who chose to be a Unified Partner with Special Olympics Massachusetts.

When you watch little India Reynolds, a Special Olympics athlete who has Cerebral Palsy, racing down the track, smiling from ear to ear, you see excitement and determination. But the story behind the girl running beside her is just as extraordinary.

After watching the previous Special Olympics basketball season, Talia had seen the action and joy of Special Olympics sports and wanted to be part of the mission. Fast forward to the spring. On the first day of Shrewsbury’s Unified Track & Field practice, Local Program Coordinator Virginia Davidson suddenly found herself short-staffed and unsure how to pair athletes. That’s when Talia walked in.

“She happened to arrive at the exact moment I needed her,” Virginia said. “She was shy at first, but by day two had almost everything under control.”

From there, Talia’s confidence only grew. At qualifiers, she competed alongside India, showing her long jump motions, standing by her during the softball throw, and guiding her in races to keep her safe while cheering her on every step of the way.

“Talia became an exceptional example of a Partner for Special Olympics. At qualifiers I remember them saying they didn’t need adults around and were shooing their parents away,” said Coach Stephanie Maniatis. “In the long jump, Talia showed India the motions and coached her along. In softball throw she stood next to her reminding her to step and throw. In the race Talia guided India for safety and cheered her on.”  

And their friendship extends far beyond the track. “They are friends on and off the field. They help each other with sports and also life things... at Gymnastics they were laying down talking about calming strategies and how to ‘deal with parents,’” Stephanie said. They even took a trip to the Bolton Fair together, where Talia discovered India’s daredevil side as she headed straight for the scariest rides!

Virginia added that their partnership captures the essence of the program: “Due to their young ages, I’m not certain they themselves know how this friendship is anything else but having the opportunity to play or participate in a sport. This story resonates with the mission behind this amazing worldwide program—inclusion, courage, joy, and friendship.”

For Talia, the joy comes from seeing India’s determination. She recalled the first time they ran side by side at a local track qualifier and India won Gold, and then Summer Games, when India fell but refused help, determined to get up and finish on her own.

The two videos posted of India and Talia running the track hand-in-hand this past season have reached over 1.3 million users across social media platforms.

“When people watch their videos, I hope they see that love, support, and kindness have no bounds,” said India’s mom, Courtney Reynolds.

“I hope they are inspired to work with diverse and marginalized populations that are often unseen and unheard. I hope they see that we are one human family walking each other home.”

Talia’s parents, Corinne and Keith, describe her as both fearless and deeply caring. From a young age, she spent a lot of time with her grandparents and was drawn to the people who helped care for them. She often wanted to pitch in herself, whether it was assisting nurses with small tasks or keeping an eye on children in waiting rooms while their parents were at medical appointments. That same caring nature carried over into her partnership with India on the track, creating a bond that has changed them both in profound ways.

Corinne and Keith shared that Talia was historically really shy; but has been able to overcome this slowly but surely by learning how to support another athlete. Seeing India’s successes at Special Olympics events lifts Talia up, knowing she's making a difference.

Through determination, encouragement, and friendship, Talia shows what being a Unified Partner truly means: building confidence, inspiring others, and forming bonds that extend far beyond the track. For Talia, the experience has been transformative, and one day she hopes to become a Special Olympics coach, continuing to lift others the way she has lifted India.

You can experience the same impact at Talia—learn more about becoming a Unified Partner here and discover how anyone, at any age, can make a difference.