Dick Hoyt

Dick running in a marathon while pushing Rick. (online)

A hero. When people think of a hero they think of Capt. Underpants, Superman, or Spiderman. A hero does not have to be a person with an unearthly power, a hero can be a person that has the power of the heart. A heart that tells them they have to do something. Though, after their heart tells them what to do, they have to do it. A hero is somebody who helps, does the right thing, is kind, caring, and subtracts their time to add to others' time. A hero has to be willing. Anybody can be a hero if they choose to. My heroes are Dick and Judy Hoyt.

Dick and Rick are father and son. Rick (the son) was born in 1962 with spastic quadriplegic that prevented Rick from walking or speaking like everybody else. Dick and Judy were told that Rick had a small chance of recovering and would not be able to live a "normal" life. Dick and Judy would take Rick sledding, swimming, and taught him basic words and the alphabet. In 1972 using $5,000, a group of engineers at Tufts University built him a piece of equipment that allowed him to communicate his thoughts. Rick's first "words" were "Go, Bruins." In 1975, at the age of 13, Rick entered a public school for the first time. Rick attended Boston University and graduated with a degree in Special Education in 1993. Dick retired in 1995 as a Lt. Colonel from the Air National Guard after serving his country for 37 years.

How It All Started:
In 1977 Rick decided he wanted to compete in a 5-mile run for a paralyzed Lacrosse player. Dick was not much of a runner but he decided he would push Rick in his wheel chair. They came in next to last in their first marathon. That night Rick said that when he is "running", it felt like he wasn't handicapped. The realization made Dick and Rick run in marathons, duathlons, and triathlons. In 1992, Dick and Rick completed a 3,375 mile marathon around the U.S. in just 45 days. In triathlons, Dick pulls Rick in a boat with a bungee chord, pushes Rick in a special seat on the front of his bike, and pushes him in another custom made wheelchair when running. When Rick was asked what he would do for Dick if he could do anything, he responded, "The thing I'd most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once."

Dick is a hero because he loved his son enough to do something that really pushed his limits because it made his son feel good. Dick had never been a runner but decided to help his son by doing so. Rick is lucky to have a dad as kind and caring as Dick is. Dick works hard to stay in shape and be able to compete with his son and win most of the marathons and triathlons. Just imagine having to pull a person over 100 pounds in a floatable raft, then push them while biking, then again while running. Between each challenge, there aren't any breaks. Dick subtracts his time, to add to Rick's, and he is willing to do that in order to make his son happy.

Rick CAN'T participate in most events, but FEELS like he can when he is doing triathlons with his dad. Dick WOULDN'T participate if it hadn't been for Rick. Dick is the body, Rick is the heart and soul. 2009 marked the 100th anniversary of Dick and Rick running in the Boston Marathon. They truly are a dedicated team.