Who is Maria Shriver

Maria Owings Shriver (born November 6, 1955) is an American journalist and author of six best-selling books. She has received a Peabody Award, and was co-anchor for NBC's Emmy-winning coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics. As executive producer of The Alzheimer's Project, Shriver earned two Emmy Awards and an Academy of Television Arts & Sciences award for developing a "television show with a conscience".

She was formerly First Lady of California as the wife of actor and then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and is a member of the Kennedy family.

She and husband Arnold Schwarzenegger have four children Katherine Eunice Shriver Schwarzenegger, Christina Maria Aurelia Schwarzenegger, Patrick Arnold Schwarzenegger (now Patrick Shriver on Twitter), and Christopher Sargent Shriver Schwarzenegger.

Photo Source: Maria Shriver, First Lady of California.

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For the past several years she has been working through a time of transition and change. She lost her mother Eunice Shriver in 2009, her Uncle Ted Kennedy a few weeks and her father in January 2011.

She left her position as First Lady of California in January 2001 when her husbands gubernatorial term ended in January 2011.

In early May 2011 the couple announced they were separating. A bit later Schwarzenegger admitted to having fathered another child 10 years ago.

Maria has released the following statement about recent events:

This is a painful and heartbreaking time. As a mother, my concern is for the children.

I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal. I will have no further comment.

She is rumored to be a guest on her final show and to be in talks with Oprah about possibly developing her own talk show for Oprah's OWN Network.

Image: Transitions Print by Nikki Boyer available on Amazon.

From the former website:

Shriver has embraced her role as First Lady with a can-do attitude. Describing herself as a "General Assignment First Lady" - evidenced by the numerous challenges she tackles - her calls to action have resounded across the state, addressing critical issues such as the struggles of the working poor, supporting military families, promoting disaster preparedness, fighting obesity, raising awareness for Alzheimer's disease and people living with disabilities, calling all Californians to serve, celebrate remarkable women and be inspired by California's unique culture, art and history.

First Lady of California, Maria Shriver made an appearance on Idol Give back to encourage people to give back and to volunteer.

She introduced more than 100 volunteers from different agencies involved in Idol Gives Back.

Acts of service are the stuff that Real Idols are made of.

She also encouraged people to look for Volunteer opportunities. For those in California with California Volunteers and for those in other states, to look for opportunities at the Idol Gives Back Website.

...do not look outside yourself for a leader.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.

The Elders, Oraibi, Hopi Nation

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