‘ANWJR’ Contestant Olivia Colasuonno, 15, Shares Heartwarming Inspiration For Competing

Olivia Colasuonno is competing on ‘American Ninja Warrior Junior’ for an incredible cause — a non-profit for sheltered dogs that she started herself! Here’s a sneak peek of her amazing story!

Olivia Colasuonno isn’t your average 15-year-old, but she’s seeking to prove that anyone can make a difference within their communities, no matter how old they are! The San Dimas local shares her inspirational story in an EXCLUSIVE clip of this week’s episode of American Ninja Warrior Junior. “Project Gidget is an organization that I start in 2014 in memory of my dog Gidget,” Olivia explains in the video. “Our goal is to make sure that shelter animals are war, comfortable and loved while they’re waiting for their forever homes.”

The ANW Junior competitor continues to say that the supplies for the animals is donated by locals, and she even pet sits to raise extra money to purchase obscure items that may not be donated. “We have helped with dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, snakes horses,” Olivia says. “I’m competing for my dog Gidget, and any animal that needs to be cared for.” She adds, “I wanted to show other people my age that they can do something positive to help in the community in some way.” We love that! Olivia’s rescue dog Gidget died in 2014 and she was inspired to start her Project Gidget after being too young to donate to the Humane Society.

Olivia will take on the American Ninja Warrior Junior course this Saturday, March 30th at 7 p.m. on Universal Kids, to show off her immense strength, and run on behalf of her organization, Project Gidget. “In her mind, this is honoring Gidget in everything she does. She feels like that’s just really been something positive out of something horrific that happened in her life.” Karen Colasuonno told KFI Radio of her daughter. “She wants Gidget’s light to shine and in the meantime her light’s shining.”