2009 ESPYs

MAUREEN MCKINNON-TUCKER NOMINATED FOR ESPY AWARD

For the best in movies, there are the Academy Awards. For the best in television, there are the Emmy Awards. Music has the Grammy Awards, and theatre has the Tony Awards.

For sports, there are the ESPYs.

Hosted by ESPN, the ESPYs gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2009 show is on July 19th.

Among the 37 categories, 2008 Paralympic sailing gold medalist Maureen McKinnon-Tucker is one of the four nominees in the "Female Athlete with a Disability" category. There's not another sailor in any other category.

Maureen and teammate Nick Scandone overcame long odds to reach the Paralympic Games, let alone dominate the event. Nick lived with ALS just long enough to win the gold, while Maureen balanced her paralysis with training and attending to her 2 year old son’s battle with his brain tumor (he’s now 9 months post-treatment and currently cancer-free).

The recognition each nominee receives during the televised awards show is immense, but to see Maureen on the same stage as the elite athletes of the world would be epic. The winner in each category is determined by online voting.

Time for every sailor to support their sport in the easiest way possible…. GET OUT THE VOTE. Online voting is done here: http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/espys2009/#/vote