Rick Hoyt is a Boston Marathon legend. He ran multiple marathons in a wheelchair pushed by his father, Dick Hoyt. But who is Dick Hoyt, and where is he these days? Dick and Rick Hoyt of Holland, Massachusetts, are known as a team Hoyt. The Hoyts competed in a variety of sports together, including over 30 Boston Marathons and Ironman Triathlons. Hoyt, who was younger, had cerebral palsy and needed a wheelchair. In 2008, the Hoyt received ESPN’s Jimmy V Award and was recognized in the Ironman Hall of Fame. Rick Hoyt died on May 22, 2023, in Leicester, Massachusetts, of respiratory problems. But where has Rick Hoyt’s father gone? Dick Hoyt, is he still alive?
Who Was Rick Hoyt’s Father, Dick Hoyt? Wiki and Age
Dick Hoyt, Rick Hoyt’s father, was born on June 1, 1940 in Winchester, Massachusetts, USA. Dick Hoyt’s father and mother were Alfred Hoyt and Anna Jaworski. Anna was a dedicated housewife while Alfred worked as a used car dealer. Elder Hoyt grew up in the North Reading neighborhood. Rick Hoyt’s father attended North Reading High School and played quarterback for the team.
Dick Hoyt married his high school girlfriend, Judy Leighton, shortly after graduation in 1961. The cheerleader in charge was Dick Hoyt’s wife. Judy Hoyt (Leighton), Rick Hoyt’s mother, started Kamp for Kids in the late 1970s. Kamp For Kids enabled children with and without disabilities to camp together. Furthermore, Dick Hoyt served in the Army and Air National Guard for almost four decades (37 years). Following his and his son’s running success, older Hoyt developed a career as an inspirational speaker, giving over 100 lectures each year.
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Dick and Judy Hoyt were the delighted parents of three boys, Rick, Russ, and Rob. Dick Hoyt, a long-time emblem of the Boston Marathon, died on March 17, 2021. He allegedly died in his sleep at his Holland home after suffering from health issues. Judy Hoyt, Rick Hoyt’s mother, died in 2010.
Dick and Rick Hoyt Running Achievements
Rick Hoyt was born on January 10, 1962, with cerebral palsy. He couldn’t move his muscles or talk. Dick noted in his book “Devoted: The Story of a Father’s Love For His Son” that it took him longer to figure out how to interpret Rick’s nods and grins. However, Tufts University engineers developed a computer in 1972 that enabled Rick to pick letters by touching his skull. Rick’s first words were said to be “Go Bruins.” Team Hoyt was formed in 1977 after Rick asked his father if they could run a race together to assist a lacrosse player at his school who had been paralyzed.
Dick Hoyt was 36 at the time. The former Air National Guard lieutenant colonel was not a runner. However, he decides to escape with his son. After their first race, Rick informed his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” Rick’s father then began jogging every day with a bag of cement in his wheelchair. He considerably improved his fitness level. Despite pushing Rick in a wheelchair, senior Hoyt ran a 5K in 17 minutes, achieving a new personal best. In 1992, Team Hoyt ran the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington and Virginia in 2 hours 40 minutes 47 seconds. Despite his added burden, Hoyt finished first in the 50-to-59 age bracket. Dick and Rick Hoyt completed the 2014 Boston Marathon, their last event together.
