Mar 20, 2006 6:30 pm US/Eastern
Bond Between Hoyt Team Keeps Growing Stronger
by Scott Wahle
(CBS4)
It's just four weeks until the Boston Marathon -- the oldest and some say, the best of its kind.
And this year marks a very special occasion. It will be the 25th time the team of Dick and Rick Hoyt run the race.
CBS4 is the only television news station following the Hoyt's as they train for their historic run. Scott Wahle shows us this is a father-son story like no other.
"The one thing I would like to say about my dad is, he is my hands and my feet," said Rick Hoyt. "He is the wind beneath my wings!"
Rick and Dick Hoyt have become inspiring marathon figures.
Dick pushes his son 26.2 miles.
Rick, who is disabled due to brain damage at birth, still has a healthy mind and jokes he always crosses the finish line first.
"With every race dad and I run in, the bond between us just gets stronger," said Rick.
The Hoyt's have competed around the world in 64 marathons and over 200 triathlons.
"It's made me a better person," said Dick. "It's fulfilled my life. It's also created a bond between Rick and I that is so good that we feel we can do anything."
Rick is unable to talk, but speaks by controlling a computer with subtle head motions -- pressing a mouse and spelling out his thoughts -- a synthesizer gives him a voice.
"I have thought long and hard about what I would do if I was not in a wheelchair," Rick said. "What I would probably do first is tell my dad to sit down in the wheelchair and now I would push him."
"He's got the best spirit of anybody, and he's very happy," said Dick. "I feel that Rick lives a better life than probably 95 percent of the population."
Rick's entire life has been a struggle for inclusion. His parents fought for that and racing is a continuation.
"We travel all over the country to compete in these events in hopes of educating people that disabled people should be included in every day life, and not left in the corner and forgotten about," Rick told CBS4's Scott Wahle.
And now, Dick, at age 65, and Rick, at 44, are working towards another milestone -- their 25th Boston Marathon.
"Here we are ya know, still doing it after twenty five years and still enjoying it together," said Dick.
"Just as long as dad's old legs can run, for now, I do not see an end!"
It has never been easy for the Hoyt's. At times, they've been told they can't compete because they're "different," but when they cross the finish line on marathon Monday, think about their triumph and the love between a father and a son against overwhelming odds.
The Hoyt's are dedicating their 25th Boston Marathon to raise money for Easter Seals, an organization that helps people with disabilities.
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