On Monday, the Hoyt Household introduced the demise of Boston Marathon icon Rick Hoyt at age 61. Hoyt was a longtime staple of the Boston Marathon, who was pushed to the Boston Marathon end line in his wheelchair by his father, Dick, for 32 years between 1980 and 2014.
“It’s with profound disappointment that the Hoyt Household broadcasts the passing of our beloved brother and uncle, Rick, this morning. Rick was 61 years previous. Rick handed away on account of problems along with his respiratory system,” the household stated in a press release. “As so many knew, Rick together with our father, Dick, have been icons within the highway race and triathlon worlds for over 40 years and impressed tens of millions of individuals with disabilities to imagine in themselves, set targets and achieve extraordinary issues.”
Hoyt had cerebral palsy, which left him a quadriplegic. In 1977, he advised his father, Dick, that he needed to participate in a charity run for a lacrosse participant who was paralyzed in an accident. Dick pushed his son for the race, and after, he advised his father, “After I’m working, I don’t really feel handicapped.”
The duo’s participation in marathons, triathlons, and endurance occasions showcased that bodily disabilities ought to by no means restrict one’s aspirations. Hoyt’s presence on the Boston Marathon course symbolized braveness and the idea that something is feasible.
Dick died in March 2021 at age 80. The identical 12 months his son retired from marathons.
The Boston Athletic Affiliation (B.A.A.) launched a press release in reminiscence of Hoyt:
Rick Hoyt will all the time be remembered as a Boston Marathon icon and for personifying the “Sure You Can” mentality that outlined Group Hoyt. We’re lucky to have been capable of name Rick a buddy, mentor, pioneer, and Boston Marathon finisher. His legacy will dwell on by means of the Rick & Dick Hoyt Award, which is introduced every April across the Boston Marathon to somebody who reveals the spirit of Group Hoyt by means of advocacy and inclusion.
Our ideas exit to the Hoyt household, Rick’s many pals, and all who have been touched by his positivity.
The B.A.A. has continued to honour Hoyt’s legacy on the Boston Marathon, establishing the Rick & Dick Hoyt Award in 2021. The award yearly acknowledges people who promote inclusivity and advocate for others in the neighborhood.
