Imparting the blessing through unconditional love. The story of Dick & Rick Hoyt. Dick Hoyt is my hero , a great example of what a father’s love can accomplish. While some parents abuse their kids or simply neglect them every way they can, here is one dad who never gave up on his son Rick who was born in 1962 with cerebral palsy. And one son who, notwithstanding his physical condition, remained steadfast for his dad. Maybe if the parents rejected him when he was born he would have withered and die. I cannot imagine how much more Our Father would be willing to do.. or sacrifice for us. Nor can I fathom the faith and obedience of His Son Jesus Christ who, willingly and wholeheartedly surrendered His life for His Father above.
Many doctors gave up and recommended to put Rick in an institution informing the parents that he would be nothing but a “vegetable”. But Rick’s eyes kept following his dad, he responded to love, and the parents hope he would communicate someday. Dick & Judy treated him like a normal child taking him weekly to a children hospital in Boston and teaching him alphabet with sandpaper letters & objects in the house. At 12, he was able to communicate through a computer machine developed by engineers and it became clear that he was intelligent.
Team Hoyt began in 1977 when Rick became inspired by an article on racing he saw in a magazine. Dick Hoyt was not a runner and was nearly 37 years old. He is old, weak and with a heart disease, but when his son asks him, “will you ran with me in the marathon?” The father said , “yes!!!” 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.” As of July 2010, the Hoyts had competed in 1032 endurance events, including 68 marathons and six Ironman triathlons. They had run the Boston Marathon 26 times. Also adding to their list of achievements, Dick and Rick biked and ran across the U.S. in 1992, completing a full 3,735 miles in 45 days.
They also compete in triathlons with Rick sitting in a boat for the swim portion, Dick pulls him in a boat with a rope attached to his body. For the cycle portion of the triathlon, Rick rides on the front of a specially designed tandem bike. Then he pushes Rick for the run.
Rick graduated from Boston University in 1993 with a degree in special education and later worked at Boston College in a computer lab helping to develop systems to aid in communication and other tasks for disabled people . He lives a normal and fulfilling life.
