Bonnie “Bekah” Henderson is a 29-year-old athlete who competes with the Topeka Stars and Topeka Shawnee Special Olympics teams. Over the last 15 years, Bekah has competed in a wide variety of sports to include Basketball, Cheerleading, Athletics, Swimming, Softball, Bowling, Bocce, Volleyball, Powerlifting, and Snow Shoeing. 

Bekah was the selected as the 2009 “Most Inspirational Athlete” at the Kansas Summer Games. She was selected as the 2012 “Big XII Conference Special Olympics Female Athlete of the Year. 

Bekah is not just involved in sports with Special Olympics. In 2011, she graduated from the inaugural class of “Global Messengers” and has given presentations to a number of organizations. Bekah recently finished training as a “Health Messenger” which focusses on helping athletes to be healthier through diet, exercise and mindsets and behaviors. Last January, Bekah traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend “Athletes on the Hill” where she met with Kansas Congressional staff to talk about the importance of funding Special Olympics.

Bekah competed in Bowling at the 2014 USA Games in New Jersey and in the 2019 USA Games in Seattle, Washington where she competed in Swimming. She won a Gold medal in the 200 Freestyle and a Bronze medal in the Butterfly. Bekah has been selected to compete in Snowshoeing at the 2022 Winter World Games in Kazan, Russia and will compete in the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, Florida as a Power Lifter.

Although Bekah has been rather successful as an athlete, she will tell you that her greatest joy as a Special Olympics athlete has been all of the wonderful friends that she has made on her journey. Bekah’s favorite pastimes include making cards for her friends and drawing.