0009 IaK One Minute- Team Hoyt- Inspiring Compassion and Confidence

If you had only one minute to communicate the story of someone who inspires you to be great, who would it be?  Would it be someone you know? Someone from history?  Someone who you’ve recently read about?  Every now and then, we will feature a one minute story voiced by the kids who did the research.  Here is this week’s One-minute Inspire a kid story.

 

Hi, I'm Madi Tidwell and today  I’m going to tell you a story.  The story a special because it's a story of a boy who inspired his father and inspired the entire world.  Rick was born with cerebral palsy and was unable to walk or even talk.  He had to use a special computer just to communicate.  At age 15 while Rick was at school he learned about a fundraiser for a paralyzed teen.  He felt a passion for this person and somehow had to help.  He asked his father if he could run a 5 mile charity run for the teen.  You can only imagine what his father thought when he learned that not only did his son want to run a 5 mile race but wanted him to push him in wheelchair.  Of course his dad agreed.  After the race Rick told his father, “Dad, when I'm running I don't feel I can disable anymore.” The two began running half marathons full marathons and even triathalons.  Dick would push his son in a wheelchair while running, pull him on a boat was swimming and even tug him along in a bike trailer while biking.  Together the 2 finished 212 triathlons, 85 marathons and hundreds of races.  With the message “yes you can” team Hoyt has reached and inspired millions of people around the world.

 

What an inspiring story of a father’s love and devotion.   I first heard of this Father- Son team back in 2007.

I have to think that Rick Hoyt was inspired as a young child by his parents to believe that he could create change.   Though it needs to be addressed consistently in every generation, there is a bit more awareness toward the disabled than there was  40 years ago.  In 1977 when most of the US and world would look at Rick and think that he LACKS something, his mom and dad must have fought the negative message with that positive message, “Yes you can.”  How else would that message become the team message?  I love the Father & Son relationship that is evident here.  There are not many more stories of love and devotion that are as profound as this one.  Dick Hoyt does everything in order to see his son fulfill his passion.  Amazing humility.

But I want to point out that Rick reflects several of our inspire-a kid values too.

Compassion- he wanted to be a part of a solution for a paralyzed teen

Confident- he was confident that he could make a difference.  Even in what others viewed as a disability, he saw an opportunity.

Creative- he realized that the solution lay in the power of him and his father working as a team.

Rick Hoyt and his father have inspired millions around the world. To find out more about Team Hoyt, go to www.teamhoyt.com

Would you like to be featured on this podcast?  Send an original 1 minute recording that tells the story of someone who inspires you along with your name and age if you are under 18.  Send it to scott@inspireakid.com

Remember: every kid has unlimited potential for greatness. Until Next time, who are you inspiring to greatness today?