Boston Marathon legend and pioneer Rick Hoyt dies; inaugural Hoyt Memorial still on
The man who cheerfully cruised roads, pushed by his father, across the world and who helped changed attitudes toward athletes with disabilities, has died.
Rick Hoyt, 61, died Monday “due to complications with his respiratory system,” his brother, Russ, said in a statement. Rick and his late father, Dick, participated in more than 1,000 races — most notably the Boston Marathon 32 times — in a lengthy career that led to the creation of Team Hoyt and its “Yes You Can” mantra.
“As so many knew, Rick along with our father, Dick, were icons in the road race and triathlon worlds for over 40 years and inspired millions of people with disabilities to believe in themselves, set goals and accomplish extraordinary things,” the Hoyt family said in a statement.
What disability did Rick Hoyt have?
Rick Hoyt, who was born with cerebral palsy and was quadriplegic, first raced with his father, who died in 2021 at age 80, in 1977. The pair competed in local road races, marathons, Ironman triathlons and a run across America in 1992.
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Rick also earned a special education degree at Boston University in 1993.
Hoyt legacy honored by Hopkinton
A bronze statue of Dick pushing Rick was unveiled at Hopkinton’s Center School in 2013. A street within the Hopkinton Village Center residential development near downtown was christened Hoyt Way two years ago.
Boston Marathon award named in his honor
The Boston Athletic Association in 2021 presented the first Dick & Rick Hoyt Award, “which will be given annually to someone who exhibits the spirit of Team Hoyt’s legacy,” according to the Boston Athletic Association. The award included a Dick and Judy Hoyt Inclusion Grant, which allows families to support a child to be included in activities along with their non-disabled peers.
Toasting the Hoyts: Hopkinton brewer makes charity beer honoring Boston Marathon legends
The inaugural Dick Hoyt Memorial 5-mile race, originally planned for this Saturday in Hopkinton, is still scheduled to go off as planned, according to a press release sent out by the Hoyt Foundation Tuesday afternoon.
"Although everyone is very saddened about the recent passing of Rick Hoyt, we all believe Rick would want the race to continue to honor his father," the release states. "Rick was named the Race Director of the event and put his heart and soul into planning it over the past 5-6 months."
Register for the event here.
How Rick Hoyt communicated
Rick Hoyt helped author a book, "One Letter at a Time," a story about how he uses a special computer and head movements to communicate in a way depicted by the title. With his father behind him, Rick happily became part of Boston Marathon lore, completing the course over four decades, the final one in 2014.
When Rick became unable to participate in long-distance races, his nephew, Troy, took over pushing duties for shorter races. Rick wrote a three-paragraph letter to the Daily News in 2021 about what he missed most about competing at the Boston Marathon, saying in part: “I have two things I will miss about the Boston Marathon. The crowd’s support is one but the thing I miss most is spending time with Dad.”
What is the Hoyt Foundation?
After the Hoyts completed their first road race in 1977, Rick told his father: “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” After years of struggles to be accepted into races, The Hoyt Foundation was founded as a nonprofit in 1989; it now has chapters throughout North America. Its goal is “to build the individual character, self-confidence and self-esteem of America’s disabled young people through inclusion in all facets of daily life.”
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Team Hoyt runners and three-wheeled cycles are still seen at road races throughout the country.
Longtime Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray, who pushed Rick during the Finish at the Fifty 10K race at Gillette Stadium, said the Hoyts' legacy will never be forgotten.
“We all will truly miss Rick as we have missed his father but we will never, ever forget the gift they both left all of us,” McGillivray said.
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimDumas.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Boston Marathon legend Rick Hoyt dies; inaugural Hoyt Memorial still on
