Heroes Hall Of Fame Post #2

2.TEAM HOYT

I wish I would have thought to post this on Fathers Day because it really fits the holiday.  Our next hero or heroes I should say is Team Hoyt (click name for official site).  These guys are my personal favorite because they are truly epic!  Here are the highlights.  In 1962 Rick was born to Dick and Judy Hoyt, due to some complications he was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy.  Instead of letting him live in a hospital his parents decide to take him home and make sure he lived life to the fullest, which is already a hard task.  Soon they could tell that he was a very intelligent and capable young man and fought for him to be able to go to school (which later results in him getting a degree from Boston University in special education).
     In the spring of 1977 Rick hears about a 5 mile benefit run for a Lacrosse player who was paralyzed and tells his dad that he wants to run it.  Dick was not the running type but out of love for his son he agrees to do it anyway.  Rick said that night that running made him feel like he wasn't handicapped.  Little did they know that this would start them on a crazy and inspirational ministry.  Now they travel all over the U.S running races and raising awareness for the Hoyt Foundation.  Putting their count to 1042 races in total as of February!  To include 6 Ironman Triathlons, 7 half Ironmans, and 68 Marathons (27 Boston Marathons).  I don't know about you but I can say from experience that running a Marathon is PAINFUL!!!!  I know I couldn't even do an Ironman.  This guy is 3 times my age and does all of these races while pushing his 110lbs son.  When swimming on the Triathlons he pulls him in a boat!  With that said I am willing to admit that he way more hard core than me.haha  When asked Dick said that his motivation is his son and every time he feels like stopping he just looks in the chair in front of him and keeps going.  If I could even be half the dad that he is I would feel pretty accomplished.haha  Which is why Team Hoyt is no doubt a hero in my book.  So check out their organization and testimony and ask yourself how you could better emulate their Father-Son relationship?