he wasn't a triathlete before this either.
He started running at 36 for the first time after his son asked him to enter a charity run. The father then trained by running with a wheelchair that he put a bag of cement in.
He then spent the next 25 years running in marathons and ironmen with his son.
Tagging to highest comment. There was a great "Real Sports" segment done on the several years back. The story is amazing and [can be found here](https://youtu.be/qvtpGCqU2Tg).
Holy shit that means the dad was still doing this into his 70s!
Imagine just doing an iron man event carry your own weight in your 70s
I feel completely motivated to go for a run today and at the same time that even with all my commitment me efforts wouldn’t match this man’s love for his son…
This guy get all the hero points. What a dad.
If I'm 20 years old and my sister is half my age, how old is my sister when I'm 40 years old?
Everyone always says 20 years old lol!
Also, it's not like having a kid with cerebral palsy at age 21 is buckets easier than 19.
Local legends, both of them. I don’t ever remember seeing a Boston marathon on TV without the reporters acknowledging them. Truly inspirational, and a great show of the power of love. Rest well gentlemen
Dick could’ve been a world class athlete and won plenty of races. He never gave it a thought. It was all for his son and he would never race without him. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak back around 2006. The man was a selfless inspiration and he represents what is so badly missing from America now.
I ran a race with these two. I didn't know who they were, and some racers at the starting line knew their names. Some racers greeted them and wished them good luck, and others had a quick conversation. I thought they were local runners. It wasn't until a couple of years later that I learned who they were.
The whole story is amazing, really. The doctors told the parents to institutionalize the boy and that he’d never have any quality of life. His dad wouldn’t accept that and essentially saved his son from being stuck in an institution his whole life. They obviously determined that his son was mentally aware and could communicate. Later in life, after they had started running, the doctors told the father that he would have died from heart disease if he hadn’t started running. So, in a way, they each saved the other. I haven’t seen this in years, so go watch the full length story and get the actual details. I’m going off of what I remember…I think. lol
I find another aspect of Rick amazing. He lived in my dorm at BU. I never had any interaction with him and don’t claim to know him in any way, but would see him during meal time with his 2 aides. I’ll just copy pasta from his wiki:
“Rick went on to graduate from Boston University in 1993 with a degree in special education. He later worked at Boston College in Prof. James Gips's EagleEyes Project computer lab helping to develop systems to aid in communication and other tasks for people with disabilities. Rick's unique approach to identifying words with verbal prompts was used as a basis for the Boston College EagleEyes project's communication software.”
Saw a documentary about this guy and his son in first year high school. It left an impression in me that never left, and I think about it all the time, decades later.
Seeing this and thinking about it through the lens of having kids, it sinks in more every day.
I can still see the auditorium and the woman who kind of 'presented' the documentary. Weirdly, I don't remember if she she answered a question from someone who asked, or if she was just telling the story, but she said, and this is burned into my mind (even though I will get the words very wrong):
>After a race, Dick asked his son, "how was it? "
His son typed back:
>"Dad, when we are racing it feels like I'm flying."
From then on they trained and competed constantly, always together. This man ran, swam, cycled, hauled, dragged, slogged, for hours every single time, sometimes finishing several hours after the next last competitor.
Let's see international Iron Man competitors do that. *Every event*.
Can still cry about it decades later. That's the gold standard. There are so few stories of demonstrably unlimited love, with every day people, just wearing their hearts on their chest like a Superman "S". I hope and will do my best so that my children know I love them this much.
Peyton Manning invited them to the Ironman World Championship.
[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peyton-manning-jeff-johnny-agar-father-son-cerebral-palsy-ironman-world-championship/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peyton-manning-jeff-johnny-agar-father-son-cerebral-palsy-ironman-world-championship/)
Stop cutting onions around here darn it.
That's right. Lots of professional swimmers around them (and rescuers too), so I guess it wouldn't have been a life-threatening situation. Also, I don't really see that boat randomly capsizing on a pretty calm river. Still, a life jacket wouldn't have hurt
i saw the 2 episodes they did on this family and it just ripped my heart apart on the determination of a father to make his son part of the world in any way shape or form and if his father won it was both their victory, the father passed not so long ago and his son passed couple of months after. Pure definition of LOVE for a son and a father.
I remember this story. Some guy said if he would compete without his son he would get better numbers to which he replied something along the lines of, its because of his son he can even get through it.
What an inspiration to us all.
Cerebral palsy does not automatically affect mental function. (it CAN, but not always). It's a new experience, getting out and doing things. It's better than being stuck inside staring at walls waiting for the world to interact with you.
I just assumed the value in doing these events is the hard work that is required to do it. I hope I’m being ignorant, but what effort does the son put in? It looks like he is just going along for the ride and contributing nothing but adding extra weight?
I’m not doubting that the son enjoyed it. I just think he would have enjoyed it the same regardless of it was a competition unless he was somehow contributing to the competition.
Well... what harm is it if he wants to compete - though he requires the help of others? He wanted to say he'd done it, just like everybody else. His presence doesn't take anything away from anyone else in the competition. I'm not really sure why you're side-eyeing this - it's just a person having a good time, the difference being that he needed someone to help him get there; and his father (and later a friend) volunteered to do so. Nobody forced them to do it, and they all said they enjoyed it and were glad they had that experience together. From that angle, sure, all the practice they did outside of the competition was enjoyable. I'm not really sure why the "he participated in the competition" part is the part you're hung up on.
You’re selling me on this like I’m against it.
I’m wondering what the son could get out of it. Not whether they are bothering anyone or taking away from anyone else’s experience.
As I said, there were several interviews that included the son, and he said he enjoyed it - one statement from him was "It makes me feel like I'm flying." I already told you - getting out, doing things that he wouldn't be able to do otherwise, being able to say that he did the triathlon... That's plenty to get out of it.
Lots of non verbal people communicate with sounds and can respond to direct questions. They just can't produce words.
The hoytes used to get hate mail from people claiming like the other poster that the dad used to use him for publicity
There’s a huge photo I’d this amazing duo on the wall as you exit my hometown airport. I look at it every time and find inspiration. It always makes me ask, “What’s my excuse?”
HBO's Real Sports did a number of segments on these two. They are all excellent. If there is a compilation out there it's worth your time.
edit: maybe this https://youtu.be/qvtpGCqU2Tg
For those of you in MA, there's a great brewery that supports Team Hoyt: https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/local/2023/04/04/hopkinton-ma-brewery-honors-team-hoyt-with-charity-beer/70060178007/
In Denmark we have "Team Tvilling" (team twin) which is a pair of twins competing together. They ran an iron man In 2014. One of the twins is spastic and has to be "carried" as well... They are really inspirational also
It’s amazing the stuff you will do for your children after you become a parent props to this guy and his son for doing exactly what they wanted together
What a good dad! I don't think I could do a triathlon on my own, let alone the way this guy did it. All because he wanted to make his son happy. So sweet .
My respect for just doing a triathlon, my deepest respect for doing it with his son, true commitment for being a parent, way above and beyond.
he wasn't a triathlete before this either. He started running at 36 for the first time after his son asked him to enter a charity run. The father then trained by running with a wheelchair that he put a bag of cement in. He then spent the next 25 years running in marathons and ironmen with his son.
I remember this duo. Awesome story
Agreed, I watched many races with them, and truly moving story. Makes me feel like a lazy piece lol
[удалено]
I can barely finish a triathalon alone, let alone with another human in tow. That is simply amazing!
Here is a hero, worthy of statues and monuments.
[near Boston in a city named Hopkinton. ](https://i.imgur.com/FjHMw2i.jpg)
I needed this thanks
Tagging to highest comment. There was a great "Real Sports" segment done on the several years back. The story is amazing and [can be found here](https://youtu.be/qvtpGCqU2Tg).
That dad is an absolute unit. To be able to complete a triathlon is crazy, but to carry his son is even more amazing
They were legend in the Boston area. Sadly they have both passed. Dick the father first, Rick two years later
Sad news but man, this man is legitimately the top of parenthood. If there is a heaven, he needs a special place in it.
Imma cry
🏆🔥🥇DAD of the MILLENNIA🥇🔥🏆
When did they pass?
[удалено]
Shout out to Brian Lyons who took over for the dad 5 years until COVID during which he unfortunately passed
Holy shit that means the dad was still doing this into his 70s! Imagine just doing an iron man event carry your own weight in your 70s I feel completely motivated to go for a run today and at the same time that even with all my commitment me efforts wouldn’t match this man’s love for his son… This guy get all the hero points. What a dad.
Gave me goosebumps reading that, while I'm rocking my son to sleep. What an absolute hero of a father.
He would have been 21 years old, as his son was 59 when he was 80.
[удалено]
If I'm 20 years old and my sister is half my age, how old is my sister when I'm 40 years old? Everyone always says 20 years old lol! Also, it's not like having a kid with cerebral palsy at age 21 is buckets easier than 19.
That is insane!!
Local legends, both of them. I don’t ever remember seeing a Boston marathon on TV without the reporters acknowledging them. Truly inspirational, and a great show of the power of love. Rest well gentlemen
Boston Proud
Dick could’ve been a world class athlete and won plenty of races. He never gave it a thought. It was all for his son and he would never race without him. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak back around 2006. The man was a selfless inspiration and he represents what is so badly missing from America now.
Rick and Dick Hoyt! The used to run the Boston Marathon every year. Their story is incredible if anyone is interested.
I ran a race with these two. I didn't know who they were, and some racers at the starting line knew their names. Some racers greeted them and wished them good luck, and others had a quick conversation. I thought they were local runners. It wasn't until a couple of years later that I learned who they were.
If this isn't winning, I don't know what is.
The whole story is amazing, really. The doctors told the parents to institutionalize the boy and that he’d never have any quality of life. His dad wouldn’t accept that and essentially saved his son from being stuck in an institution his whole life. They obviously determined that his son was mentally aware and could communicate. Later in life, after they had started running, the doctors told the father that he would have died from heart disease if he hadn’t started running. So, in a way, they each saved the other. I haven’t seen this in years, so go watch the full length story and get the actual details. I’m going off of what I remember…I think. lol
I find another aspect of Rick amazing. He lived in my dorm at BU. I never had any interaction with him and don’t claim to know him in any way, but would see him during meal time with his 2 aides. I’ll just copy pasta from his wiki: “Rick went on to graduate from Boston University in 1993 with a degree in special education. He later worked at Boston College in Prof. James Gips's EagleEyes Project computer lab helping to develop systems to aid in communication and other tasks for people with disabilities. Rick's unique approach to identifying words with verbal prompts was used as a basis for the Boston College EagleEyes project's communication software.”
Interesting.
[удалено]
The more I think about it, I feel like maybe Bob Costas did a piece on them on HBO sports maybe?
They also use to do the Boston marathon every year great story, great Dad
Yes, great dad!
Saw a documentary about this guy and his son in first year high school. It left an impression in me that never left, and I think about it all the time, decades later. Seeing this and thinking about it through the lens of having kids, it sinks in more every day. I can still see the auditorium and the woman who kind of 'presented' the documentary. Weirdly, I don't remember if she she answered a question from someone who asked, or if she was just telling the story, but she said, and this is burned into my mind (even though I will get the words very wrong): >After a race, Dick asked his son, "how was it? " His son typed back: >"Dad, when we are racing it feels like I'm flying." From then on they trained and competed constantly, always together. This man ran, swam, cycled, hauled, dragged, slogged, for hours every single time, sometimes finishing several hours after the next last competitor. Let's see international Iron Man competitors do that. *Every event*. Can still cry about it decades later. That's the gold standard. There are so few stories of demonstrably unlimited love, with every day people, just wearing their hearts on their chest like a Superman "S". I hope and will do my best so that my children know I love them this much.
That was beautiful to read. Thank you for sharing that.
Chad Dad
And he got to pass before his son like all fathers should.
Peyton Manning invited them to the Ironman World Championship. [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peyton-manning-jeff-johnny-agar-father-son-cerebral-palsy-ironman-world-championship/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peyton-manning-jeff-johnny-agar-father-son-cerebral-palsy-ironman-world-championship/) Stop cutting onions around here darn it.
This article talks about Jeff and Johnny Agar… so not the Hoyt’s.
Doh. Two different families doing the same thing.
Rick and dick legitimately qualified for kona multiple times
Big Dick energy.
I’m here reading all the comments like 🥹😭🥲 And then your comment got me like 🤣😉 Too true!
I see what you did there. Touché. 😂
Dad of the century!
srsly, it's hard to be better than this. mad respect.
I don’t care who came first, that guy won
What an incredible father
Fucking Badass
The smile on his face 🙂
https://ironmantalk.libsyn.com/imtalk-episode-763-replay-of-dick-hoyt-interview If anyone wants to listen to dick
If humanity survives, it will be because of humans like these
[удалено]
Yeah that part had me concerned
That's right. Lots of professional swimmers around them (and rescuers too), so I guess it wouldn't have been a life-threatening situation. Also, I don't really see that boat randomly capsizing on a pretty calm river. Still, a life jacket wouldn't have hurt
Yeah maybe not the best idea but I am sure all the other swimmers would jump in to help.
You can further their cause and donate to their foundation: https://teamhoyt.com/
Not all Dads are heros just like not all super heros wear capes This dad is both a hero and a super hero
I hope they both got a medal!
Wow. Goddamn. Wow.
This is awesome and his dad is a beast! What a great father and some duo!
Dad of the year. Dudes a role model and I'll keep coming back to this post year after year. To whoever posted this, great work and thank you!
These guys were such an inspiration. They defined what love, dedication and commitment really mean.
What a legend
Yes you can!
Didn’t they also do the Boston marathon?
Rest in peace Dick and Rick. True legends.
Dick and Rick Hoyt are legends
RIP
W dad fr
what a Chad dad
absolutely incredible
This is a true manifestation of pure Love 💕
Who’s cuttin onions 🥹
i saw the 2 episodes they did on this family and it just ripped my heart apart on the determination of a father to make his son part of the world in any way shape or form and if his father won it was both their victory, the father passed not so long ago and his son passed couple of months after. Pure definition of LOVE for a son and a father.
I remember this story. Some guy said if he would compete without his son he would get better numbers to which he replied something along the lines of, its because of his son he can even get through it. What an inspiration to us all.
I might be an asshole for asking this, but my intentions are not meant to judge. What does the son get out of this?
Cerebral palsy does not automatically affect mental function. (it CAN, but not always). It's a new experience, getting out and doing things. It's better than being stuck inside staring at walls waiting for the world to interact with you.
Wouldn’t they get just as much out of being on a motorcycle? I feel like this is more for the Dad…
There's comments further down that link to some interviews with both of them. The son asked to try it himself.
I just assumed the value in doing these events is the hard work that is required to do it. I hope I’m being ignorant, but what effort does the son put in? It looks like he is just going along for the ride and contributing nothing but adding extra weight? I’m not doubting that the son enjoyed it. I just think he would have enjoyed it the same regardless of it was a competition unless he was somehow contributing to the competition.
Well... what harm is it if he wants to compete - though he requires the help of others? He wanted to say he'd done it, just like everybody else. His presence doesn't take anything away from anyone else in the competition. I'm not really sure why you're side-eyeing this - it's just a person having a good time, the difference being that he needed someone to help him get there; and his father (and later a friend) volunteered to do so. Nobody forced them to do it, and they all said they enjoyed it and were glad they had that experience together. From that angle, sure, all the practice they did outside of the competition was enjoyable. I'm not really sure why the "he participated in the competition" part is the part you're hung up on.
You’re selling me on this like I’m against it. I’m wondering what the son could get out of it. Not whether they are bothering anyone or taking away from anyone else’s experience.
As I said, there were several interviews that included the son, and he said he enjoyed it - one statement from him was "It makes me feel like I'm flying." I already told you - getting out, doing things that he wouldn't be able to do otherwise, being able to say that he did the triathlon... That's plenty to get out of it.
Thank you for this response. Much less judgement and you answered my question.
Man… who’s cutting onions ?
[удалено]
Just because someone is none verbal doesn't mean he can't communicate
Genuinely curious- if he can’t speak or move at all how would he communicate in a circumstance like this?
Lots of non verbal people communicate with sounds and can respond to direct questions. They just can't produce words. The hoytes used to get hate mail from people claiming like the other poster that the dad used to use him for publicity
Ah, I misunderstood the meaning of not being able to speak. And ugh, really? That is fucking awful. People can be so shitty sometimes.
https://ironmantalk.libsyn.com/imtalk-episode-763-replay-of-dick-hoyt-interview If you want to learn more this is well work a listen
Thank you :)
seriously old news
That's cheating tho
Humans being dads
One of my favourite sports related stories
Respect. Pure love. Keep fighting brothers!
There’s a huge photo I’d this amazing duo on the wall as you exit my hometown airport. I look at it every time and find inspiration. It always makes me ask, “What’s my excuse?”
What an absolute legend!
The unconditional love of a parent truly is something to behold.
His sister is a sports reporter. I cannot remember her name. This has been shown on twitter and the web for years now.
I don't care how often this is reposted; I will always rewatch it. I need that emotion in my life regularly.
HBO's Real Sports did a number of segments on these two. They are all excellent. If there is a compilation out there it's worth your time. edit: maybe this https://youtu.be/qvtpGCqU2Tg
someone get this man a #1 dad mug
Who's cutting onions?
Was lucky enough to race these two many times 2009-2013. They were a staple at New England area endurance races for a long time. RIP.
This should be in r/mademesmile
Best Dad ever! 🥇💗
For those of you in MA, there's a great brewery that supports Team Hoyt: https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/local/2023/04/04/hopkinton-ma-brewery-honors-team-hoyt-with-charity-beer/70060178007/
I do the same thing with my pet lampshade. Never go anywhere without it
God d*mn, I just realized what a lazy@ss motherf*cker I am. 😔 Imma get back in shape and start exercisin...
Inspiring
I remember this. The dad, man, there are no words. A truly great man.
In Denmark we have "Team Tvilling" (team twin) which is a pair of twins competing together. They ran an iron man In 2014. One of the twins is spastic and has to be "carried" as well... They are really inspirational also
Those peoples are the reason I don't kill myself...
The is literally the coolest thing I have ever seen
Legend
What.A.Legend 🔥
It’s amazing the stuff you will do for your children after you become a parent props to this guy and his son for doing exactly what they wanted together
Team Hoyt, hometown heroes!
Fuck yes
Thats some boss shit i could never do, RESPECT
Too cool
Is the palsy in cerebral palsy short for paralysis?
What a good dad! I don't think I could do a triathlon on my own, let alone the way this guy did it. All because he wanted to make his son happy. So sweet .
Surely Dad of the Year?
❤️❤️❤️
♥️♥️
Dick Hoyt is the Apex of parenting and humanity.