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The term "family bond" takes on new meaning when used to describe Dick Hoyt and his son Rick, Massachusetts natives who personify what it means to live for another human being. In 1962 Rick was born after a complicated labor, where a dangerously coiled umbilical cord cut off oxygen to his brain. The family was told by doctors that in Rick's vegetative state it would be best to institutionalize him. Nonetheless, the Hoyts were committed to raising their son as "normally" as possible and knew that behind Rick's physical handicaps lurked a healthy mind. With the help of Tufts University, which had developed cutting-edge technology allowing Rick to communicate through head movements, the Hoyts discovered he was a natural sports fan and healthy competitor. Five years later, in 1977, Dick pushed his son's wheelchair through a five-mile benefit run and found the race had given Rick the miraculous feeling of being able-bodied. With that knowledge, Dick subsequently dedicated his life to giving Rick the feeling as often as possible. REAL SPORTS' Mary Carillo, in collaboration with Sports Illustrated, chronicles a journey that began with love.
Correspondent: Mary Carillo
Producer: Joe Perskie.
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