Team Hoyt

Rick Hoyt's birth and early life

Rick Hoyt was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth after his umbilical cord became twisted around his neck, which caused the blockage of oxygen flow. As a result, his brain could not properly control his muscles. Many doctors encouraged the Hoyts to institutionalize Rick, informing them that he would be nothing more than a "vegetable". His parents held on to the fact that Rick's eyes would follow them around the room, giving them hope that he would somehow be able to communicate someday. The Hoyts took Rick every week to Children's Hospital in Boston, where they met a doctor who encouraged the Hoyts to treat Rick like any other child. Rick's mother Judy spent hours each day teaching Rick the alphabet with sandpaper letters and posting signs on every object in the house. In a short amount of time, Rick learned the alphabet.

At the age of 11, after some persistence from his parents, Rick was fitted with a computer that enabled him to communicate, and it became clear that Rick was intelligent. With this communication device, Rick was also able to attend public schools for the first time.

Rick went on to graduate from Boston University in 1993 with a degree in special education. He later worked at Boston College in Prof. James Gips's EagleEyes Project computer lab helping to develop systems to aid in communication and other tasks for people with disabilities. Rick's unique approach to identifying words with verbal prompts was used as a basis for the Boston College EagleEyes project's communication software.

Team history

Team Hoyt began in 1977 when Rick asked his father if they could run in a race together to benefit a lacrosse player at his school who had become paralyzed. He wanted to prove that life went on no matter one's disability. Dick Hoyt, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard, was not a runner and was 36 years old. After their first race Rick said, "Dad, when I'm running, it feels like I'm not handicapped." After their initial five mile run, Dick began running every day with a bag of cement in the wheelchair because Rick was at school and studying, unable to train with him.

Through March 2016, the Hoyts had competed in 1,130 endurance events, including 72 marathons and six Ironman Triathlons. They ran the Boston Marathon 32 times, between 1980 and 2014. Also adding to their list of achievements, Dick and Rick biked and ran across the U.S. in 1992, completing a full 3735 mi in 45 days.

They also competed in triathlons. For the swim portion of a triathlon, Dick used a rope attached to his body to pull Rick sitting in a boat. For the cycle portion, Rick rode on the front of a specially designed tandem bike. For the run portion, Dick pushed Rick in his wheelchair.

In the 2013 Boston Marathon, Team Hoyt had about a mile to go when two bombs exploded near the finish line; they were stopped by officials, along with thousands of other runners still running the race. They were not injured. A bystander with an SUV gave them a ride to the Sheraton hotel, and they were temporarily separated from Rick's wheelchair.

On April 21, 2014, the Hoyts completed the 2014 Boston Marathon, having previously announced that it would be their last together. From 2015 through 2019, Rick was pushed in the Boston Marathon by Bryan Lyons, a dentist from Billerica, Massachusetts; Lyons died in June 2020, aged 50.

Dick Hoyt died in his sleep at his home in Holland, Massachusetts, on March 17, 2021, after experiencing some health problems. He was 80. Rick died from respiratory complications in Leicester, Massachusetts, on May 22, 2023. He was 61.

Honors

Team Hoyt was inducted to the Ironman Hall of Fame in 2008.

On April 8, 2013, a bronze statue in honor of the Hoyts was dedicated near the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

ESPN honored Team Hoyt with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPY Award show on July 17, 2013.

Team Hoyt was also featured on inspirational billboards within the U.S.

Racing history

Total events (): 1,130

References

References

1. Mather, Victor. (March 18, 2021). "Dick Hoyt, Who Ran Marathons While Pushing His Son, Dies at 80".
2. [http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/inspiration/athletes/dick-hoyt "Dick Hoyt, Race by Race, A Father Lifts His Son"] cerebralpalsy.org
3. Nall, Sam. (January 2002). "It's Only a Mountain: Dick and Rick Hoyt, Men of Iron". Southern Heritage Press.
4. Hayes, Liz. (May 27, 2007). "Team Hoyt". Sixty Minutes Australia.
5. Reilly, Rick. (June 20, 2005). "Strongest Dad in the World". Sports Illustrated.
6. Henderson, Joe. (February 10, 2008). "Odds Overcome". Tampa Tribune.
7. (November 8, 2009). "The Power of a Father's Unconditional Love: Rick and Dick Hoyt". Self Improvement Association.
8. (2012). "One Letter at a Time". Mascot Books Inc.
9. Brant, John. (April 9, 2007). "Team Hoyt Starts Again". Runner's World.
10. Lodge, Denise. (January 25, 2012). "Dick and Rick Hoyt: Still Running Together". Impowerage Magazine.
11. Anderson, Travis. (May 22, 2023). "Boston Marathon legend Rick Hoyt dies at 61".
12. "Racing History". TeamHoyt.com.
13. (March 29, 2007). "Hoyts Forced to Miss Marathon". Boston Globe.
14. Smith, Gary, "The Wheels of Life", ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', April 18, 2011, pp. 56-68.
15. (April 9, 2013). "Team Hoyt – Rick and Dick Hoyt – stopped 1 mile short of Boston Marathon finish line; inundated with support from public". Mass Live.
16. (April 21, 2014). "Team Hoyt – father and son Dick and Rick Hoyt – finish final Boston Marathon". MassLive.com.
17. Ciccotelli, Jenna. (June 2, 2020). "Bryan Lyons, who pushed Rick Hoyt in the Boston Marathon since 2015, dies at 50".
18. (March 17, 2021). "Dick Hoyt, longtime Boston Marathon runner who pushed son Rick for decades, dies at 80".
19. Butler, Sarah Lorge. (March 17, 2021). "Dick Hoyt, Part of Legendary Boston Marathon Duo, Dies at 80".
20. Minsberg, Tanya. (May 22, 2023). "Rick Hoyt, Who Competed in Races While Pushed by His Father, Dies at 61". The New York Times.
21. (2023-05-22). ""One of the most inspirational heroes": Rick Hoyt, Boston Marathon icon, dies at 61".
22. Breitrose, Charlie. (July 17, 2010). "Triathlon duo visits Camp Arrowhead in Natick". MetroWest Daily News.
23. "Hall of Fame".
24. (April 9, 2013). "Dad, son honored with statue at Marathon start". Boston Herald.
25. (June 6, 2013). "ESPYS to honor the Hoyts".
26. "See the Father and Son Team who've Run 65 Marathons Billboard".
27. Haller, Laurie. (April 19, 2010). "Team Hoyt-Pass it on".