Team Hoyt is a father (Dick Hoyt) and son (Rick Hoyt, b.
1962) in Massachusetts who compete together in marathons, triathlons, and other
athletic endeavors. Rick was disabled at birth by a loss of oxygen to his brain
because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, and he also suffers
from cerebral palsy. 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.
Thanks to his parents, who ignored the advice of doctors
that he would live life in a persistent vegetative state, and Tufts University
engineers, who recognized that his sense of humor indicated intelligence, at
the age of 12, Rick was able to learn how to use a special computer to
communicate, using movements from his head. The first words he typed were,
"Go Bruins!", and the family learned he was a sports fan. They
entered their first race in 1977, a 5 mile benefit run for an injured lacrosse
player who was a schoolmate of Rick's.
Dick is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National
Guard. Rick earned a college degree from Boston University in special
education, and now works at Boston College. They continue to compete in races,
and are also motivational speakers.
As of December 31, 2006, Team Hoyt had participated in a
total of 942 events, including 216 Triathlons (6 of which were Ironman
competitions), 20 Duathlons, and 65 Marathons, including 25 consecutive Boston
Marathons. They also biked and ran across the USA in 1992 — a 3,735 mile
journey that took them 45 days.
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."