Her Mother Refused the Institution… The Rest Is History

They told Loretta Claiborne’s mother there were places for children like her.

Her mother said no.

Instead, she raised Loretta with grit, dignity, and sky-high expectations. Even when Loretta struggled with motor skills and had to crawl to the table and pull herself up, her mother insisted on good manners.

No elbows on the table.

Why? Because someday, she said, Loretta might be eating with the president.

She ended up meeting six of them.

In this unforgettable episode of Finding Common Ground, Loretta shares the kind of story that makes people rethink what is possible. From the moment her mother refused institutionalization to the breakthrough that changed everything, when little Loretta called out her mother’s name for the first time, this conversation is filled with the moments that prove what can happen when someone believes in you before the world does.

Loretta takes us through the tough love that shaped her, the counselor who pushed her toward Special Olympics, and the path that eventually led her to become a globally respected athlete, advocate, and speaker.

Today she has met six U.S. presidents, and in this episode she even tells us which one she enjoyed spending time with the most.

But what makes Loretta remarkable is not just what she achieved. It is how she lives. Helping neighbors shovel snow, pushing cars out of icy streets, knitting for babies and women she will likely never meet. Still showing us what persistence, dignity, and community look like in action.

As Loretta reminds us:
“Never let nobody underestimate the power of you.”

And one lesson her mother made sure she learned early:
“If you quit today, you’ll always be quitting.”

This is an episode about refusing to accept limits, setting the bar high, and the life-changing power of expecting more.


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Recorded at ROC Vox Recording & Production Studios in Rochester, NY. Learn more at rocvox.com.