A Special Son. A Loving Father. A Touching Story. Team Hoyt.

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I was reading something about triathlons and I came across Team Hoyt by chance from the Net. After watching one of their video clips - “I Can Only Imagine”, I could not help but was totally inspired by the father and son team. If you have been delaying your plan to exercise or to watch your diet or to join a marathon, this inspirational true story is for you. If you are a father with kids at home or even if you are a child with a loving father, I want you to watch the video clip too.
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While waiting the video to load, let me share with you the real life story of Team Hoyt:Father (Dick Hoyt) and son (Rick Hoyt) have joined many marathons, triathlons and other athletic competitions. But, what makes them really different from others is that Rick suffers from cerebral palsy - a condition involving permanent tightening of the muscles caused by damage to the brain during the time of birth. Rick was disabled at birth by a loss of oxygen to his brain because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck.
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Therefore, Rick does not swim. Rick does not cycle. Rick does not run.
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When his father swims, Rick is lying in a small boat being pulled by his dad. When the father cycles, son is sitting in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When the father runs, he pushes Rick in a special wheelchair. They have been going over hundreds of finishing lines throughout US for the past 27 years.
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When Rick came to the world in 1962, doctors told his parents that they have no hope for Rick. But Dick and his wife, Judy, did not give up. The couple brought their son back home and determine to raise him as normally as possible.

The couple managed to raise $5,000 in 1972 to get a special built interactive computer that allowed Rick to write out his thought using slight head movements. A group of Tufts University engineers agreed to build the computer after they believed that Rick had clear comprehension skills. Since then, Rick was able to communicate to people around him.

In 1975, Rick was finally admitted into a public school. Two years later, Dick brought Rick to participate in a fund raising 5-mile run. Dick pushed Rick in a wheelchair to finish the race. They finished second to last, but Rick was so happy that he told his father that he did not feel handicapped when they were in the competition. That run was the first time “Team Hoyt” competing before they participated more marathons.

During this journey, almost everyone looked down at Rick. No one talked to Team Hoyt. No one wanted to run beside them. But, the father and son kept going strong. After 4 years of marathons, Team Hoyt went for their first triathlon. Dick did not know how to swim before this. So, he put in lot of his effort in picking up the skill. He worked out up to 5 hours a day, 5 times a week, even when he had to work. He wanted to set a good role model for Rick - once you set out to do something, sticks to it for whatever it takes.

Here are some of proud achievements of Team Hoyt:

• 216 Triathlons, 6 Ironman distances
• 20 Duathlons
• 65 Marathons, 25 Boston Marathons

They have also biked and ran across the USA in 1992 with a total of 3,735 miles in 45 consecutive days.

This year, 2008, Dick Hoyt and Rick Hoyt are going to be 68 and 48 years old. Finally, after so many years, Team Hoyt managed to raise public attitudes toward the physically and mentally challenged. Their best time, 2 hours 40 minutes in 1992 is merely 35 minutes from the world record. I mean, world record hold by someone who does not have to pull another man, cycle another man and push another man.

Dick said, “Those doctors who asked us to give up hope are not alive any more, but I would like them to be able to see Rick now.”

Mun’s Comment:

• It is not easy to swim, cycle and to run. Dick has done it, together with his son. The special father and son relationship has touched me so much. When Rick was asked about the thing he really wants to give his dad - “The thing I’d most like…is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.”
• When I showed the video to one of my friends, he told me with eyes in tears that “This is the kind of father I want to be someday.”
• I started out this post as a way to encourage my readers to set a fitness goal and determined to achieve it. But after watching the videos many times, tears of admiration has overcome me. I was simply blown away. Team Hoyt is more than a sport team in marathon and triathlon. It is also a story of a father’s unselfish love for his son. The story teaches me what really matters. Family, love, determination and sacrifice.
• I am not so sure about whether these two human beings have touched you, but I hope that you have learned something from them.

A special son. A loving father. A touching story.

If you wonder what the song played in the video, it is I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me.

I Can Only Imagine lyrics

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

[Chorus]

I can only imagine [x2]

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

If you like this song, buy I Can Only Imagine from Amazon by Mercy Me.

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