Dick Hoyt – Devoted
Last modified: July 5, 2010The following synopsis is from
www.amazon.com
Devoted: A Story Of A Fathers Love For His Son
The remarkable story of a father’s devotion to his wheelchair bound son and how their bond inspired millions of people worldwide.
Born a quadriplegic who would never talk, Rick Hoyt was written off by numerous doctors. They advised his parents, Dick and Judy, to put their first born son in an institution. But Rick’s parents refused. Determined to give their son every opportunity that ‘normal’ kids had, they made sure to include Rick in everything they did, especially with their two younger sons, Rob and Russ.
Rick at home was one thing, the world at large, another. Repeatedly rebuffed by school administrators who resisted their attempts to enroll Rick in school, Rick’s mother Judy worked tirelessly to help pass a landmark bill, Chapter 766, the first special education reform law in the country. As a result, Rick and other physically disabled kids were able to attend public school in Massachusetts.
But how would Rick communicate when he couldn’t talk? To overcome this daunting obstacle, Dick and Judy worked with Dr. William Crochetiere, the then chairman of the engineering department at Tufts University, and several enterprising graduate students, which included Rick Foulds, to create the Tufts Interactive Communication device (TIC). In the Hoyt household, it became known as the “Hope machine,” as it enabled Rick to create sentences by pressing his head against a metal bar. At age 12, for the first time ever, Rick was able to communicate.
Then one day Rick asked his dad to enter a charity race, but there was a twist. Rick wanted to run too. At age 37, Dick had never run a race before, but more challenging still, he would have to push his son’s wheelchair at the same time. But once again, the Hoyts were determined to overcome whatever obstacle was put in their way.
Now, over 1,000 races later, including numerous marathons and triathlons, Dick Hoyt continues to push Rick’s wheelchair. Affectionately known worldwide as Team Hoyt, they are as devoted as ever, continuing to inspire millions and embodying their trademark motto of “Yes, you can.”
What an amazing story, like many people around the world, I first heard about team Hoyt through an email that went viral pointing me to a youtube video where I witnessed a man and his son taking on the world through triathlon and marathons. Rick was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his head and as a result suffered brain damage and would never walk or talk. He was intelligent though and felt happy when he went for runs with his father and so a team was born.
This book is the story behind the story and you gain an insight into the heartache of Dick and Judy when they were told to put their son in a home and forget about him. They fought for his his schooling and equality in many areas and now 48 years later Rick has completed over 1,000 races with his Dad and has a university degree. Technology caught up and Rick was able to communicate through a computer and technology also made the Hoyts world wide inspirations.
If you enjoyed the video you will love the book, an easy read at just over 200 pages. Dick doesn’t see what he does as inspiring, he does it people it quality time he gets to spend with his son.