It is with sadness that Special Olympics Maine announces the death of founder and former CEO Mickey Boutilier.

Melvin “Mickey” D. Boutilier died on December 24 after a brief illness with family members by his side. 

Boutilier was a teacher, volunteer, veteran, and good Samaritan but was best known for his leadership in Special Olympics. He served as executive director and then CEO of Special Olympics Maine for more than 35 years. 

He also devoted his summers to working at Camp Waban, Maine’s first day camp for children with intellectual disabilities. Waban was where he developed his love for the people he worked with and motivated him to become a special education teacher. 

In 1968 he learned about a national event taking place at Soldier Field in Chicago that would offer “Olympic style” sports competition to people with intellectual disabilities. Liking the idea, he took a group of special education students from Maine to compete in this first ever Special Olympics event, which was started by Eunice Kennedy Shriver and sponsored by the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation. 

In 1969 he was named by the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation the Executive Director of Special Olympics Maine, a volunteer position he held for the first eight years organizing events with a small annual grant. 

The first Special Olympic event in Maine was held in Portland in the summer of 1969. During the early years the program served 900 athletes and upon his retirement in 2002 it was serving upwards of 2500. 

Boutilier was known throughout the country for his leadership in Special Olympics and the program in Maine was used as a model for other states. He awarded the highest award presented by Special Olympics, Inc., The Angel Award. He was close with Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver and spent a great deal of time working with her (and others) further developing the worldwide program. 

Boutilier was a legend in the world of Special Olympics and he devoted his entire life to improving the lives of people with Intellectual Disabilities. Per his request there will be no visitation and a private family service. 

A celebration of his life will take place at a later date at his beloved Camp Tall Pines in Poland, a camp owned and operated by Special Olympics Maine.