[국제]’Iron man hero’ father who ran 40 years marathon for his son who is paralyzed dies

Dick Hoyt, who was called the “Iron Man Dad,” passed away with a paralyzed son in a wheelchair and ran a marathon race.

According to the New York Times report on the 19th, Dick Hoyt died at the age of 80 at his home in Holland, Massachusetts. The cause of death is cardiovascular disease, according to the Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the Boston Marathon.

Dick Hoyt’s son, Rick Hoyt, was born in 1962 with a severe disability when the umbilical cord was wrapped around the neck and oxygen to the brain was interrupted. Rick could only express his intentions using a computer. Rick, who was very interested in sports, told his father when he was 15, “I want to participate in a charity run.” Father Dick decided to run with him pushing a wheelchair for his son. They succeeded in completing their first running competition, and since then, they formed’Team Hoyt’ and participated in various competitions.

In 2009, Rick told The New York Times, “when my dad and I run, a special bond is formed between us,” in an interview with the help of a computer voice program. “And it feels like there’s nothing that Dad and I can’t do.”

‘Team Hoyt’ has completed a total of 1,130 competitions, including 72 marathons and 257 triathlons for 40 years from 1977 to 2016.
The team succeeded in completing 32 times in the Boston Marathon alone, becoming a symbol of the Boston Marathon.

The rich man, who participated in the Boston Marathon almost every year from 1980 to 2014, initially had to run in the event informally. This is because competition officials were hesitant to classify teams in wheelchairs as participants. However, afterwards, official participation in the competition was allowed with the support of citizens.

Dick Hoyt planned to quit his long-distance race after the 2013 Boston Marathon when he was 73 years old. However, when the competition was stopped due to the bombing incident at the time, Tim Hoyt reappeared in 2014 to reap the beauty of the kind and succeeded in completing the race with a record of 7 hours 37 minutes 33 seconds.

Citizens of the United States have been cheering for Tim Hoyt, who challenges human limitations. In 2013, a statue of the rich man was erected near the starting line of the Boston Marathon. Citizens are continuing the wave of tribute, saying, “Dick Hoyt was the best father.”

YTN PLUS Reporter Jeong Yoon-joo
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