Yes You Can : The incredible story of Team Hoyt

1,100+ Endurance events comprising 250+ Triathlons including Iron Man, 70+ Marathons, ~100 Half Marathons & countless mid distance races!

These credentials are incredible. And, they become even more spectacular when we put a name in front of it – Team Hoyt, a team of a father-son duo – Dick and Rick Hoyt.

Owing to birth time complication, Rick Hoyt (son) was born with a terrible condition leading to spastic quadriplegia with cerebral palsy and speaking impairment. The doctors had advised Dick to put him in the institution as his life would be nothing more than a vegetable. Dick decided not to follow the advice and instead resolved to provide Rick as normal a life as he could.

In 1977, Rick, aged around 15 years, told his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile local running event. Even though he wasn’t a runner, Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair and they finished all 5 miles (as the second last finisher). After the race, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” And, that is when the epic journey of Team Hoyt began. Over next 30 years, the father-son duo have achieved things which are unfathomable even for a normal able bodied person. And, in process inspired people all over the world with one very simple message ‘Yes You can’.

At the start line, most fellow runners/swimmers/cyclist are intrigued at the sight of the this special and different participant. But by the end of the race, they are simple awestruck by the achievement of this incredible team. Over the years, the sight of Dick pushing Rick in a specially designed wheelchair, Dick swimming and pulling Rick (on a raft) with a string tied to waist, and Dick riding a specially designed bike with Rick seated on a carrier has become common across endurance races world over.

Honoring the incredible achievements of the father-son duo, Iron Man inducted Team Hoyt into their Hall of Fame in 2008. The prestigious Boston Marathon honored the father-son duo with a dedicated bronze statue of the Hoyts right near the start line.

Their foundation – The Hoyt Foundation, runs several charitable initiatives with the objective of ‘building the individual character, self-confidence and self-esteem of America’s disabled young people through inclusion in all facets of daily life; including in family and community activities, especially sports, at home, in schools, and in the workplace.’

Here is a short documentary on this epic team:

The amazing story of the Hoyts is nothing short of an epic. It is the story which inspires us to do our best despite the challenges around us. It is a true personification of human grit, perseverance, hard work, commitment and above everything else LOVE.

Rick was once asked, if he could give his father one thing, what would it be? Rick responded, “The thing I’d most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once.”

How profound!

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Addendum on 25 May 2023

On May 22, 2023 the world woke up to the sad news of passing away of Rick Hoyt. Dick Hoyt had earlier left the mortal world in Mar 2021. Team Hoyt, bound by the incredible bond of love between the father-son duo, was briefly separated after Dick’s death (2021 to 2023). But now, the father & son have united again in the heaven and inpsiring countless souls up there too!