Happy Father’s Day
The story of Rick and Dick Hoyt is one of the greatest love stories of all time, as the Host on NBC put it, “its the story of a Father who climbs mountains and goes to the end of the Earth and back to give his son a better life, a life that transcends the limitations of his body.” Rick has celebral palsy, caused by loss of oxygen to his brain at birth because his umbillical cord was wrapped around his neck.
Rick & Dick compete together in marathons and triathalons. To date Team Hoyt have run over 950 races including some 60 marathons and triathlon competing in 6 iron mans, the ultimate test of strength and endurance. Dick carries him in a special seat up front as they bike, pulls him in a special boat as they swim, and pushes him in a special wheelchair as they run. The Hoyt’s motto is “you can” and they’ve made so many believe anything is possible.
The doctors told Rick and Judy Hoyt that their son would never be able to walk or talk. They said forget Rick put him away in an institution he’s going to be nothing but a vegetable for the rest of his life. But Rick and Judy said “no we’re not going to put Rick away, we’re going to bring him home and bring him up like any other child.”
While in high school Rick learned about a five mile charity run for a paralyzed teenager and he told his Dad “I have to do something for him, I have to let him know that life goes on”, for Dick this was a call to action as a Father. Rick told his Dad “when I’m out running I feel like my disability disappears” and that was all Dick needed to hear.
When asked what one thing Rick wished he could give his father, his reply was “The thing I’d most like is that my dad would sit in the chair and I would push him once.”
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