Peter Gianatiempo’s parents both grew up in the colorful New York City borough of Queens. One day, his father walked into a pizza place, where he met an employee wearing a nametag that read “Gianatiempo.” The man was speaking Italian, so Peter’s father questioned their potential familial relation. As it turned out, both their families originated from Naples, Italy. A tie that bound them together, they remain friends to this day.
The Gianatiempo family's pride and identity are rooted in their Italian heritage. Peter learned the importance of good Italian food from his grandmother, who inherited the culture from her ancestors. From the Feast of Seven Fishes to growing fresh vegetables, food was home away from home. Even after generations in the United States, his mother’s family, from Sicily, and his father’s family, from Naples, are grounded in tradition.
“As a kid, I didn’t really appreciate it,” said Peter. “As I got older, I really wanted to know more about my background.”
Traveling to Italy has been a lifelong dream, one that will become a reality for Peter as he represents Special Olympics USA in the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025. Competing as a Unified partner in Unified floorball, Peter will represent the United States in the country his ancestors once called home.
Raised in a civic-minded family, Peter’s career path was shaped by his parents and his sister. His sister is a social worker at Andrus, a private, nonprofit organization in Yonkers, New York, that helps to build strong futures for children and families. His father served as a police officer for 30 years and his mother works at The Arc Westchester, where Peter is now employed as a recreation specialist.
“I think it’s kind of in our blood,” said Peter. “We like people, we want to work around people.”
Working toward his degree in therapeutic recreation, Peter was required to complete 560 volunteer internship hours. He spent all 560 of those hours with North East Westchester Special Recreation, a community-based therapeutic recreation agency. Joe and Nancy Bellini, Special Olympics USA Unified floorball coaches, both work for North East Westchester Special Education and encouraged Peter to stay involved in their Special Olympics programming.
“When they came to me with floorball, I knew this was something that I had to get involved with, because I played hockey my entire life,” said Peter. “I had met a lot of the people on the team at the beginning of my internship… When I am with them, I have a good time, they’re a good group.”
Years later, Peter never thought his internship would lead to a spot on Special Olympics USA’s roster. From the United States, from home, his family will be cheering him on. Looking forward to the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, Peter is improving his Italian vocabulary, mastering the rules of floorball and practicing regularly with his team.
“It will be cool, in general, to play other people and meet other people, because we are all playing the same sport and working toward the same thing,” said Peter.
On the court, they may not share a culture, a language. What they do share is a mindset, shaped by a love for people and the belief in inclusion. Representing 103 countries, Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners, coaches, volunteers and staff will amplify that love, that belief into an echo heard worldwide.