A pair of triathlon competitors would hardly turn anyone’s head as anything exceptional, except when you consider this important fact—one of them is handicapped without the use of his body and the other carries him the entire length of the race. Rick and Dick Hoyt, commonly called Team Hoyt, have inspired millions of people around the world by participating in triathlons and even Ironman competitions. Rick Hoyt, who suffered from cerebral palsy since birth, is the “heart” and his father, Dick Hoyt, is the body. Together the unlikely duo inspire both their audience and their competitors with their message: “That everybody should be included in everyday life.”

A Tragic Beginning for the Hoyt Family

In 1962, Dick and Judy Hoyt became parents to a son named Rick. The birth was not without complications however. During birth, the umbilical cord wrapped around Rick’s neck and cut off the supply of oxygen to Rick’s brain. A parent’s worst nightmare was realized, when doctors informed Dick and Judy that there was no hope for Rick’s development as he suffered from crippling condition known as cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy affects approximately 2 out of every 1000 infants at birth and is caused by a lack of oxygen to the developing infant’s brain which damages the motor control centers of that brain, leaving the child paralyzed and unable to speak.

When Rick Hoyt was eight months old, the doctors recommended to Dick that he should just institutionalize Rick since the condition was irreversible and he would be a “vegetable” for the rest of his life, but Rick and Judy Hoyt would not permit that to happen to their first-born son.

Dick and Judy wanted Rick to live as normal a life as possible, so they made a firm decision to provide Rick with everything that a normal kid should have. After several years, Dick Hoyt was convinced that the doctors were wrong about his son’s ability to comprehend and communicate and he was sure that Rick was as intelligent as his two younger siblings and he struggled to convince school officials to agree with him. Many of the school authorities and doctors were convinced that Rick was mentally retarded just because he did not have the ability to speak. Undetered, Dick Hoyt taught his son the alphabet himself and never gave up hope in affording Rick the opportunity to attend a public school like all the other children. It was an uphill battle for both Dick and Rick to win however.

A Stroke of Luck

In 1972, a glimmer of luck brightened the lives of the Hoyt family. During that year, a group of engineers from Tufts University in Boston heard about Rick Hoyt and paid him a visit. They were convinced after the meeting that Rick had perfect comprehension ability and was only limited by his inability to communicate. Although money was tight, the Hoyt family was able to raise $5,000 to fund the building of an interactive computer that would allow Rick to write out his thoughts by using subtle head movements as a method of inputting information.

At the age of eleven years and with his new techlogical marvel, Rick Hoyt surprised his parents with his first “spoken” words, which were: “Go Bruins,” referring to the Boston Bruins hockey Team that had made it into the Stanley Cup that year. Dick Hoyt had expected his son’s first words to be, “Hi Dad,” or something to that effect, and the first words that his son communicated to him let Dick Hoyt know that his son had a passion for sports.

Admitted to a Public School

In 1975, after witnessing Rick’s ability to communicate with the use of his new “communicator,” school officials admitted Rick Hoyt into a public school. Although a challenge, Rick loved the learning environment of public school and wanted to participate in a myriad of activities.

The Heart to Give, but a Body Without

In 1978, Rick Hoyt learned of a local lacrosse player who was severely injured in an accident and became paralyzed. Being in wheelchair his entire life, Rick Hoyt expressed some deep empathy for his fellow student and wanted to do his part to help out, however, the only benefit for the paralyzed lacrosse player was a five mile benefit run. Despite his inability to do so, Rick still wanted to participate in that race and asked his father if he would push him. Dick Hoyt, a former Air National Guard Lieutenant Colonel, was always an avid fitness enthusiast, but was never a strong runner. He saw the passion to help others burning bright in his son and he knew he had to rise to the challenge. He agreed to push Rick the entire length of the five-mile race. In the end, they finished next to last, but in competing, Rick Hoyt said that for the first time ever, he didn’t feel as though he was handicapped.

Tough Beginnings for Team Hoyt

After completing their first race together, Dick and Rick Hoyt decided to become a Team and enter into more competitions—not for the purpose of winning, but as a channel to express their message that anything is possible, however, they soon found out that their message was not well received by either the public or their competition.

The first races and competitions that Team Hoyt participated in were ill-received by the other competitors. No one wanted Rick Hoyt in a road race and the father-son Team received cold shoulders from many other competitors. Things were tough for Team Hoyt in the beginning, but their luck began to change for the better after the 1981 Boston Marathon, where the Hoyts finished in the top quarter of the field. It was after this competition that people began to take notice of the unusual duo and give them more of the respect that they deserved as athletes.

Conquering the Impossible

After participating in marathons for a period of four years, Rick and Dick Hoyt were ready for a new challenge. When friends and family heard that they were going to participate in their first triathlon, no one believed that it was possible. They told Dick that it was difficult enough to push someone the length of a marathon, but to ride a bicycle and to swim with over 100 pounds of extra weight was not possible for anyone to do, especially for someone like Dick Hoyt who was, at the time, a terrible swimmer and had not even touched a bike since he was six years old. Still, Rick and Dick were determined to make the impossible a reality and Dick trained five hours a day, sometimes even after work to get into prime shape for his impossible task ahead of him.

By that time, Team Hoyt had a small gathering of believers and they funded a custom bike built especially to carry Rick in front as well as an inflatable boat that could be harnessed to Dick’s waist as he swam the swimming portion of the triathlon. Now Team Hoyt had the tools to make the impossible—possible, but could Dick muster up the strength to finish the grueling race?

Dick Hoyt admitted that he “sank like stone at first” when starting off on the swimming portion of the race, but he refused to give up in front of his son who believed in him. On Father’s day 1985, Team Hoyt finished second to last in their first triathlon, but they finished nonetheless and even though exhausted, Dick and Rick celebrated their achievement for conquering the impossible.

The Passion for Competition

Ever since their first triathlon, Team Hoyt has been actively participating in competitions both nationally and internationally. In their own words, “Dick is the body and Rick is the heart.” Through competing, the father-son Team has achieved the highest level of synergy in their own relationship. Rick inspires and motivates Dick through his love of sports and competing. Dick considers his father to be his top role model and admires him for his dedication to achieve anything he sets his mind to.

Rick and Dick Hoyt no longer feel the cold shoulders of other people these days. In fact, their powerful message of determination has won the hearts of all those who are fortunate to hear about them. Now they get cheers from their fellow competitors and words of encouragement and motivation.

A Role Model for the Handicapped

Team Hoyt has most notably impacted those with handicaps and those who care for the handicapped. When people hear of their stories of courage, their attitudes towards the handicapped and the mentally challenged change dramatically.

A Personal Achievement

Rick Hoyt was not fully dependent on his father for achieving his own success, however. Rick Hoyt graduated from a public high school and was accepted into the prestigious Boston University. In 1993, Rick Hoyt graduated from Boston University with a degree in special education. Rick remembers that year when he competed in the Boston Marathon right after his college graduation when tons of people stretching the full length of the course were cheering his achievements and holding banners up that said, “Congratulations on your graduation.” It was a dream come true for Rick, who as an infant was determined by doctors to be a “vegetable.”

After college, Rick got a job at Boston College’s computer laboratory, helping develop computer-aided mechanical systems that would improve the level of independence for paralyzed individuals like himself. In addition to his day job and competitions, Rick and Dick Hoyt also tour the world doing motivational presentations to sporting, corporate and non-profit organizations, sharing their message of courage and the power of unconditional love.

Tristan Loo
Synergy Institute of Personal Development

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TRISTAN LOO is a leading authority on human potential and personal effectiveness. As an author, speaker and trainer, Tristan has inspired thousands of people with his passionate message of overcoming adversity and creating the ultimate life that they desire.