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Kenny Bednarek pens note highlighting the significance of adoption in his life on National Adoption Month
Two-time Olympic medalist Kenny Bednarek recently shared a heartwarming picture with his mother as the American runner celebrated National Adoption Month. Bednarek and his twin brother were adopted by their mother from foster care.
The 26-year-old sprinter and his brother Ian were born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and later moved to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, after being adopted by Mary Bednarek. In addition to Kenny and Ian, Mary also adopted two other children from foster care and raised them all on her own.
On Saturday, November 23, Kenny shared a picture on his X handle (formerly Twitter) with his mother, alongside brother Ian, and sister Alys (Agojia) Bednarek, captioning the post:
"November is National Adoption Month."
He posted the same picture on his Instagram handle and wrote:
"November is National Adoption Month, and it’s important for me to recognize the role adoption played in my life. My mom adopted me and my siblings from foster care. I believe that’s one of the reasons I am here today. Having a safe, permanent home gave me the foundation to chase after my dreams."
He further acknowledged his collaboration with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in promoting awareness about foster care adoption. The Olympian stated:
"I’m happy to partner with Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to help raise awareness about the urgent need for foster care adoption. The Foundation has helped find forever families for more than 14,000 children across the U.S. and Canada, and they aren’t done yet. Thank you for caring about kids like me who need a place to call home. Your support might just help raise the next Olympic track star!"
"I feel so overwhelmed! I’m going to start crying" - Kenny Bednarek's mother on his silver medal win at the Paris Olympics
When Kenny Bednarek clinched the silver medal in the 200m event at this year's Paris Olympics in August, his mother could not hold back her emotions. She expressed immense pride in her son, stating:
"I feel so overwhelmed! I’m going to start crying. He’s had his disappointments. I just knew he had it in him. The smile on his face said it all. He’s one in a million and I’m so lucky he’s my son. Tomorrow is the 4x100 relay. He’s leg three and he’s getting gold!"
Talking about his relationship with his mother, Kenny Bednarek once revealed that he shares a special bond with her and expressed his gratitude for her unwavering support and inspiration.
"We worked through everything. The heart that my mum had, the perseverance to go through adopting four kids by herself and sticking it through... she's inspired me to be a better person every single day. And she's inspired me to keep living my dream because I wouldn't be here without her," Bednarek said (via Olympics.com in May 2024).
In recognition of his Paris Olympics achievements, Bednarek was celebrated with a day named in his honor in his hometown of Rice Lake.
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