Two kinds of obstacles that often must be overcome by man are physical disabilities and those imposed upon them by others.
Rick Hoyt — who was born in 1962 with cerebral palsy, has no use of his limbs and cannot speak — has gracefully dealt with the former kind, and he and his father, Dick Hoyt, teamed up to conquer the latter. In the process, the father-son duo has become an inspiration to millions of people.
Team Hoyt www.teamhoyt.com has competed in more than 1,000 races across the world, with Dick running while pushing Rick in a special wheelchair. Dick, from day one, has refused to ever see his son as "abnormal." And his perseverance has helped foster widespread respect and acceptance for people with disabilities.
When doctors at the time of his birth recommended that Rick be placed in an institution — which Dick says was common for children with disabilities in the early 1960s — Dick and then-wife Judy did not even consider it.
"I personally feel that the doctors had no clue," Dick said in a phone interview with the Deseret News from his home in Massachusetts. "That's when we decided that we'd bring him up and treat him like any other kid."
Challenges were strewn all about that path, however, but gradually Rick received much support, like when engineering students from Tufts University developed a special device to help Rick communicate.
"I think Rick was really like a pioneer," Dick said. "Anytime anyone wants to experiment with anything, they come to Rick."
And in Rick's teen years, father and son found a way that they could bond and bring awareness to people with disabilities.
Rick had heard of a race in honor of a local college athlete who became paralyzed during a lacrosse game. Rick wanted to participate in the race to support the young man, and he wanted Dick to push him along.
"(Rick) said, 'I want to let him know that life goes on,' " Dick said. And Team Hoyt made its running debut.
But as Dick and Rick began to look for other events to compete in, obstacles appeared right out of the gate. Race organizers didn't want someone pushing another person in their races.
And when Team Hoyt wanted to participate in its first marathon, the 1981 Boston Marathon, the application was rejected.
So Dick and Rick ran anyway as unofficial entrants for the next three years, and eventually they qualified and were accepted. On April 19, Team Hoyt will officially compete in its 28th Boston Marathon.
"We are the crowd favorite," Dick said. "Team Hoyt is the Boston Marathon … and they didn't even want us. Now we're invited all over the world to race."
Rick, a graduate of Boston University, and Dick love what is known as the granddaddy of all marathons.
"Rick says if it comes down to one race a year, it would be Boston," Dick said. "The crowds are just unbelievable."
And Team Hoyt is up for the challenge of just about any race. Dick and Rick have competed in the grueling Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, and Rick had to be in a special raft as Dick swam and another special wheelchair for the bike portion. Two years ago, both were inducted as the 26th (Rick) and 27th (Dick) members of the Ironman Triathlon Hall of Fame.
"We're getting invitations from people all over the world. … We're booked in races for about two to three years," Dick said.
Their most challenging race, Dick said, was when they ran and biked across the United States in 1992. They did this to raise money for the Hoyt Fund, which they established to help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.
And thanks to Team Hoyt, other such duos won't meet the same resistance should they seek to compete in races. "People are starting to organize their own races with kids with disabilities," Dick said.
What drives these two to do what they do? Dick says faith is a major part of what Team Hoyt is.
Rick is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which he joined in 1997 through the influence of a personal caretaker at Boston U. who was a Mormon.
"He believes," Dick said of Rick. "He knows there's someone out there helping.
"Rick and I are both Christians. Many times before a race we look up in the sky and say, 'Thank you.' "
Family is also very important. Dick's other sons, Rob and Russ, have stuck by Dick and Rick.
"It's very amazing how close those three boys are. They are our support team," Dick said, adding that the brothers help at triathlons with steadying the bikes and running wheelchair as Dick and Rick make their transitions.
Dick also credits his own military background, as he is retired from serving in the National Guard.
"(The military) made me a very strong and honest person," he said.
With lots of exposure via billboards, media coverage and YouTube videos, millions of people have become aware of and fans of Team Hoyt. Dick and Rick receive piles of letters and countless e-mails from people whose lives have been touched by Team Hoyt's story.
The most touching messages for Dick are from fathers who say they were inspired to spend more time with their children after hearing Dick and Rick's story. Dick also mentioned a letter from a girl who was ready to commit suicide until she saw a video on YouTube about Dick and Rick. It gave her hope, and now she runs races
Dick also has speaking engagements throughout the country. Due to the bad economy, the number of appearances he made was cut in half last year. But he says people are drawn to stories like Team Hoyt's in troubled times. "People see bad news and tell me, 'What this world needs is more stories like yours to be told.'"
The years of racing have changed Dick and Rick's lives, too.
"It's made Rick a complete person … Rick has been an athlete," Dick said. "He's probably happier than 95 percent of the people in the world. … He says when he races, 'It feels like my disability disappears.' "
e-mail: rtrishman@desnews.com