Bears star Cole Kmet teams up with United Airlines to support Special Olympics

CHICAGO - A Chicago Bears star partnered with United Airlines to show support for Special Olympics. 

Tight end Cole Kmet worked alongside the airline's Special Olympics Service Ambassadors all day Wednesday and helped spread the word about a program that gives the athletes a chance to work for United. 

Kmet met two of United Airlines' Special Olympics service ambassadors as they helped passengers board a flight to Texas. 

"I've been working with them now for about a year. It's a great organization – something I'm really fond to be a part of. I've done things like the Polar Plunge back in March. It's just a great organization and anything I can do to help uplift the athletes, I want to be a part of," said Kmet. 

The ambassadors program started five years ago. United hires four Special Olympics athletes to work at O'Hare International Airport – 18 nationwide – to greet passengers and help them navigate their way through Terminal One. 

"It's a busy airport, so helping passengers know where their gate is, helping them know where security is… I enjoy showing kindness and love to all of the passengers that are flying on United," said Daniel Smrokowsi, a service ambassador. 

Kmet's visit also called attention to United's Miles on a Mission Program, in which loyalty members can donate their unused air miles to the Special Olympics.

This allows athletes to fly to events all over the world for free. 

"Really, the goal of the program is to deepen our relationship with Special Olympics. We realized some of the athletes are incredibly talents and could bring a really unique skill set to United Airlines," said Kristin Lewis, with the airline. 

The Special Olympics athletes we spoke with said the public has made them better athletes because it's giving them the confidence they need to succeed.