Team Hoyt consists of a father (Dick Hoyt) and son (Rick Hoyt) who compete together in marathons, triathlons (a combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming) and other excursions. What makes their story unique? Apart from the fact that Dick is nearly 70 years; Rick can neither walk nor talk.
For the past couple of decades, Dick has pushed and pulled his son across the country in over hundreds of races. He pushes Rick in a wheelchair whilst he runs. Rick is in a special seat, attached to the front of the bike when Dick cycles. When Dick swims, Rick is in a special boat being pulled by Dick.
When Rick was born in 1962, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, cutting off his oxygen supply to his brain. Dick and his wife, Judy were told that there would be no hope for Rick’s development and he would live in a vegetative state. However, they did not give up and wanted to give him a normal life. With the help of engineers, Rick was able to learn how to use a special computer to communicate using movements from his head.
The first words he typed were in support of a local hockey team; the family then learnt that he was an avid sports fan. Two years later in 1977, Rick told his father he wanted to participate in a five-mile benefit run for a paralyzed school mate. Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair. Although they finished second last, they felt they had achieved a triumph.
This started an amazing journey for both of them, strengthening their father-son bond. As of August 2008, Team Hoyt had participated in a total of 984 events, including 229 Triathlons, 20 Duathlons, and 66 Marathons. They still continue to compete in races, and are motivational speakers. They have won many awards, but most importantly have become an inspiration to many people worldwide.
