Chief Rodney Richardson Represented Kentucky in the USA Games Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg

By Chief Rodney Richardson, Richmond Police Department

Being part of the Final Leg Torch Run for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games was an experience I never could have fully understood until I arrived in Minneapolis that Monday.

That first day, I met my teammates, including Stephanie Wilkerson, the Special Olympics athlete who would run alongside our team throughout the week. Each Final Leg team was paired with an athlete, and from the beginning, Stephanie wasn’t just along for the journey; she was at the center of it.

Our week began in Duluth, Minn. It was my first experience with the cold winds coming off Lake Superior, but what I remember most about Duluth was the welcome we received. The community was excited about the Torch Run and made the Final Leg runners and athletes feel at home in the Zenith City. From there, we began a journey that would take us across Minnesota and eventually to the Opening Ceremony of the USA Games.

As the week went on, something happened that I didn’t really expect. The athletes and runners became close teammates and good friends. We spent long days together traveling, running, eating meals, and attending ceremonies. Getting to know Stephanie and the other athletes and hearing their stories gave me a much better understanding of what Special Olympics and the Flame of Hope meant to them. Those conversations became as meaningful as any of the miles we ran.

Our journey took us through Duluth, Hibbing, Brainerd, Alexandria, Watertown, Rochester, Red Wing, Bloomington, Stillwater, St. Paul, and Blaine before finally arriving in Minneapolis. Every community was different, but everywhere we went, people came out to support the athletes and welcome the Flame of Hope.

One moment I will always remember was greeting Special Olympics athletes as they arrived at the airport. We were there cheering for them as they stepped off the plane, ready to compete in what I can best describe as their Super Bowl. Seeing their excitement put the entire week into perspective.

It wasn’t an easy week. There were very early mornings, long days, rain, plenty of sunshine, random bathroom breaks, short lunches, and a great home-cooked meal prepared by volunteers. But whatever the day brought, we did it together as a team.

Then Saturday finally arrived.

We carried the Flame of Hope through Minneapolis, across the Mississippi River, and ultimately to Huntington Bank Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.

When I arrived at the stadium, I had the opportunity to meet up with Team Kentucky and the incredible athletes representing our state. We cheered, we chanted until we lost our voices, we laughed, and some of us cried. Walking onto that field together, surrounded by thousands of people celebrating Special Olympics athletes from across the country, is something I will never forget.

There was music, there were lights, and there was energy in that stadium that is difficult to describe. It was, without question, one of the most exciting and emotional sporting events I have ever attended.

The week was long and not always easy, but I would do it all over again a hundred times.

For this Kentucky boy, I can honestly say I went to Minnesota to carry the Flame of Hope and came home with some great new friends, a greater appreciation for Special Olympics, and a week of memories I will never forget.

For information about the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Kentucky or about how you or your department can get involved, contact Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run Director Deputy Trevor Ford at tford.letrky@outlook.com.