Yes You Can

This is the motto of Team Hoyt, a father and son team that competes in triathlons, marathons, and many other types of races. You're probably asking yourself, "Why is that such a big deal? Surely there are hundreds of other father and son teams that compete in races." Did I fail to mention that the son Rick is a spastic quadriplegic who has been confined to a wheelchair his whole life?  That means that during a triathlon his father Dick has to pull him in a boat for the 2.4 mile swim, pedal him on a bike for the 112 mile bike ride, and push him for the 26.2 mile marathon.  Rick once told his father that when they're racing he feels like he doesn't have a disability.  Because most parents want more for their children than they want for themselves, knowing how racing makes Rick feel is all the motivation Dick needs to put his son's happiness ahead of the grueling physical torture he must endure during races. That is what separates Team Hoyt from all the other father and son teams that compete in races.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDnrLv6z-mM

As of April 2012, Team Hoyt has competed in 1077 races, including:

247      Triathlons (6 Ironman distances, 7 Half Ironman)

22        Duathlons

70        Marathons (30 Boston Marathons)

81        8.6 Milers

94        Half Marathons

1          20K

37        10 Milers

33        Falmouth 7.1 Milers (1 Falmouth in the Fall)

8          15K's

216      10K's

157      5 Milers

4          8K's

18        4 Milers

150      5K's

8          20 Milers

2          11K's

1          7K

1          20 Mile Bike for Best Buddies

Author’s perspective #1 – Making Choices. The Hoyt’s are a great example of overcoming the worst news possible and turning it into something positive. When Dick found out that his son was a quadriplegic, he could have listened to the doctors and accepted that his son was not going to have a normal life. Instead he and his wife made a choice to give their son as normal a life as possible.

Author’s perspective #2 – Putting others first. Dick Hoyt exemplifies the word sacrifice. The ability to put someone else's wants or needs ahead of our own is not a common thing in today’s society.  Dick's sacrifice is not made for personal gain. It is made to make someone else’s life better.  We could all learn something from Dick Hoyt.

Author’s perspective #3 – What do you have to lose? What if each person incorporated this unselfish attitude in their everyday life?  A simple kind gesture to make someone else feel good can go a long way. You do not have jeopardize your character in the process. It will only make you a better person in the long run.

Your turn (1) respond via this blog (2) comment on Facebook page (character development & leadership) or (3) tweet to @CDandLeadership using #CDandL:

1)  Social Media Question: If you have kids one day, do you think you will be able to make the sacrifice that Dick Hoyt chooses to make?

2) What are some examples of sacrifice that you have made in your life to make someone else’s life better?

3) Are you willing to perform one unselfish act a day to make someone’s life better? If you are, tell us about it using social media sites.