"Dad when I'm running it feels like my disability disappears"
That was all the words Dick (66 years old) needed to her to transform himself and run races so that his son, Rick (afflicted with cerebral palsy) is able to experience life.
Lessons from this Video
1) You Can. That was the father-son team's motto. They lead by example despite their disabilities and made no excuses or blame their circumstances.
2) Never underestimate the love your parents.
3) Have fun doing the things you love to do and excel in them. Be an inspiration to others.
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Team Hoyt is a father (Dick Hoyt) and son (Rick Hoyt) in Massachusetts who compete together in marathons, triathlons, and other athletic endeavors. Rick has cerebral palsy, caused by loss of oxygen to his brain at birth because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. Dick pulls him in a special boat as they swim, carries him in a special seat up front as they bike, 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 August 31, 2008, Team Hoyt had participated in a total of 984 events, including 229 Triathlons (6 of which were Ironman competitions), 20 Duathlons, and 66 Marathons, including 26 Boston Marathons. They have also biked and run 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."
Sarah Reinertsen
" ... for me to keep up, I've always had to be tougher than the rest".
- Sarah Reinertsen
These are stories of people with perceived 'disabilities' (Dick who was already 'old', Sarah an amputee and Rick who has cerebral palsy). Their stories serve as an inspiration and a reminder to us that anything is possible if we set our hearts and minds to it.
They hve a million reasons not to try but they chose not to.
These are their stories.
What will yours be?
When the world says you can't, it's time to prove you can.
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