This timeless story continues to bring tearful emotions with each telling and makes us challenge ourselves to always do as much with our talents.
Rick Hoyt was born to his parents, Dick and Judy, a spastic quadriplegic. As parents, Dick and Judy were advised that there was little hope for Rick to live a “normal” life, and that he should be institutionalized. As parents, they saw the beauty in their son and wouldn’t have it.
What followed in the years ahead would be an amazing and uplifting story of their son’s undying passion to live an “extraordinary” life and his parents’ unrelenting, unmistakeable, and undying love for their son.
The turning point in their story began when Rick was a teenager. One day while in high school, Rick approached his father and told him that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit run for a Lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick agreed, and pushed Rick in his wheelchair the entire five miles, finishing next to last. That night, Rick told his father, “Dad, while we were running together, it felt like I wasn’t handicapped.”
This realization was just the beginning of what would become over 1,000 races completed, including marathons, duathlons and triathlons (6 of them being Ironman competitions) for Team Hoyt.
Watch their inspiring life story in brief video clip below, and read full story at link which follows.
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