With Man it Is Impossible, But with God Nothing is Impossible

A father and son team. The son was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy when he was born, and together they have completed over 1, 000 races across the United States. Dick and Hick Hoyt started to race in 1977 when Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit run for a Lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Far from being a long-distance runner, Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair and they finished all 5 miles, coming in next to last. That night, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” Thus, the Team Hoyt was birthed.

Their races included marathons, duathlons and triathlons (6 of which are Ironman competitions). Also adding to their list of achievements, Dick and Rick biked and ran across the U.S. in 1992, completing a full 3,735 miles in 45 days.

In a triathlon, Dick will pull Rick in a boat with a bungee cord attached to a vest around his waist and to the front of the boat for the swimming stage. For the biking stage, Rick will ride a special two-seater bicycle, and then Dick will push Rick in his custom made running chair (for the running stage).

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.”

Source: teamhoyt.com & whatchristianswanttoknow.com