부자의사랑이야기
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팀호이트,도전과감동의인생드라마
팀호이트(TeamHoyt)는마라톤64회,철인3종경기206회,보스턴마라톤대회24회완주기록을세웠고,마라톤최고기록은2시간40분47초로비장애인도하기힘든기록이다.또한달리기와자전거로6000km에이르는미국대륙을횡단하기도했다.
팀호이트가결성돼도전과감동의파노라마를연출한것은뇌성마비장애를갖고있는아들릭호이트때문이다.릭호이트는출산예정일을2주나넘겨태어났지만출산때탯줄이목에감겨뇌에산소공급이중단되는바람에뇌성마비와경련성전신마비장애를가지고태어났다.
의사는아들을포기하라고했다.지인들도부모와의사소통도할수없고혼자서는움직일수없는아들을수용시설(주립학교)로보낸뒤잊으라고했다.하지만아버지딕호이트와어머니수잔아이턴은아들릭호이트를사랑으로보듬었다.
스스로의사표현을하지못하는아들을위해컴퓨터장치를통해의사전달을할수있게했다.릭호이트는15살되던해에특수컴퓨터장비를이용해‘RUN(달리고싶어요)’이라고썼다.아들이건넨첫번째대화이자첫번째소망이었다.
뚱뚱하고운동이라고는제대로해오지않았던30대후반의딕호이트는운동화끈을조여매고휠체어에아들을태우고달리기시작했다.처음엔10km를뛰는것도벅찼다.
1977년10월22일지미바나코스(경기도중사고로전신마비라된웨스트필드주립대학운동선수)자선8km달리기대회에참가한팀호이트는꼴찌에서두번째로결승선을밟았다.하지만아들은“저는달리면서난생처음으로제몸에서장애가사라진것같다는생각을했어요”라고말했다.
딕호이트는이런아들을보면서달리는것을멈출수없었다.1981년보스턴마라톤대회에첫출전한뒤도전과패배를거듭한끝에1982년마라톤을완주했다.
이들의도전은철인3종경기로이어졌다.아들은1986년에철인3종경기에나가길희망했다.지인들은어릴때이후로자전거를탄적이없었고수영도할줄몰랐던딕호이트를향해불가능하다고만류했다.
아들을보트에태우고바다를헤엄치고,아들과저전거를타고달렸다.결국수영3.9km,자전거180.2km,마라톤42.195km의철인3종경기를완주해아이언맨(철인)이란이름을획득했다.
이들이’팀호이트’라는이름으로참가한하와이철인3종경기가유튜브를통해알려지면서수천통의이메일과MSN메신저에5000개가넘는메시지가쇄도했다.사람들은아버지딕호이트를“영웅”이라고칭송했다.하지만그는"나는영웅이아닙니다.단지아버지일뿐입니다"라고화답했다.
팀호이트가각종대회에참가하고자선모금활동을통해주변에도움을전달할수있는근간은부인주디라이턴과릭의두동생인롭호이트와러스호이트다.이들의전폭적인지지와신뢰가없었다면애초불가능했던무모한도전이었다.
아들릭호이트는“아버지가없었다면할수없었을것”이라고하고있고아버지딕호이트도“아들이없었다면하지않았을것”이라며끈끈한부자애를과시하고있다.
아들릭호이트는“한계를규정짓는어떤말에도귀기울이지말라.결코포기하지말라.우리이야기를듣는사람들모두가알아주었으면하고바라는것이하나있다.그것은‘그래요.당신은할수있어요(Yes,YouCan)’라는말이다.아버지는제가인생을살아가는비결로이말을믿도록가르쳐주셨다”고전했다.
"부모가된다는것은얼마나큰책임감을필요로하는일인가"라고자문하는딕호이트에게서가족과부모의사회적책임을다시한번곱씹게한다.
팀호이트(TeamHoyt)http://www.teamhoyt.com
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TheEarlyYears
Rickwasbornin1962toDickandJudyHoyt.AsaresultofoxygendeprivationtoRick’sbrainatthetimeofhisbirth,Rickwasdiagnosedasaspasticquadriplegicwithcerebralpalsy.DickandJudywereadvisedtoinstitutionalizeRickbecausetherewasnochanceofhimrecovering,andlittlehopeforRicktolivea"normal"life.ThiswasjustthebeginningofDickandJudy’squestforRick’sinclusionincommunity,sports,educationandoneday,theworkplace.
DickandJudysoonrealizedthatthoughRickcouldn’twalkorspeak;hewasquiteastuteandhiseyeswouldfollowthemaroundtheroom.TheyfoughttointegrateRickintothepublicschoolsystem,pushingadministratorstoseebeyondRick’sphysicallimitations.DickandJudywouldtakeRicksleddingandswimming,andeventaughthimthealphabetandbasicwords,likeanyotherchild.AfterprovidingconcreteevidenceofRick’sintellectandabilitytolearnlikeeveryoneelse,DickandJudyneededtofindawaytohelpRickcommunicateforhimself.
With$5,000in1972andaskilledgroupofengineersatTuftsUniversity,aninteractivecomputerwasbuiltforRick.Thiscomputerconsistedofacursorbeingusedtohighlighteveryletterofthealphabet.OncetheletterRickwantedwashighlighted,hewasabletoselectitbyjustasimpletapwithhisheadagainstaheadpieceattachedtohiswheelchair.Whenthecomputerwasoriginallyfirstbroughthome,Ricksurprisedeveryonewithhisfirstwords.Insteadofsaying,"Hi,Mom,"or"Hi,Dad,"Rick’sfirst"spoken"wordswere:"Go,Bruins!"TheBostonBruinswereintheStanleyCupfinalsthatseason.Itwasclearfromthatmomenton,thatRicklovedsportsandfollowedthegamejustlikeanyoneelse.
In1975,attheageof13,Rickwasfinallyadmittedintopublicschool.Afterhighschool,RickattendedBostonUniversity,andhegraduatedwithadegreeinSpecialEducationin1993.Dickretiredin1995asaLt.ColonelfromtheAirNationalGuard,afterservinghiscountryfor37years.
TheBeginningofTeamHoyt
Inthespringof1977,Ricktoldhisfatherthathewantedtoparticipateina5-milebenefitrunforaLacrosseplayerwhohadbeenparalyzedinanaccident.Farfrombeingalong-distancerunner,DickagreedtopushRickinhiswheelchairandtheyfinishedall5miles,cominginnexttolast.Thatnight,Ricktoldhisfather,"Dad,whenI’mrunning,itfeelslikeI’mnothandicapped."
Thisrealizationwasjustthebeginningofwhatwouldbecomeover1,000racescompleted,includingmarathons,duathlonsandtriathlons(6ofthembeingIronmancompetitions).Alsoaddingtotheirlistofachievements,DickandRickbikedandranacrosstheU.S.in1992,completingafull3,735milesin45days.
Inatriathlon,DickwillpullRickinaboatwithabungeecordattachedtoavestaroundhiswaistandtothefrontoftheboatfortheswimmingstage.Forthebikingstage,Rickwillrideaspecialtwo-seaterbicycle,andthenDickwillpushRickinhiscustommaderunningchair(fortherunningstage).
Rickwasonceasked,ifhecouldgivehisfatheronething,whatwoulditbe?Rickresponded,"ThethingI’dmostlikeisformydadtositinthechairandIwouldpushhimforonce."
The2009BostonMarathonwasofficiallyTeamHoyt’s1000thrace.RickalwayssaysifitcomesdowntodoingoneraceayearhewouldlikeittobetheBostonMarathon:hisfavoriterace.DickHoythopesthatheisabletopushRickintheBostonMarathonwhenheis70yearsold(2011)!NeitherDickorRickarereadytoretireyet.
Inatriathlon,DickwillpullRickinaboatwithabungeecordattachedtoavestaroundhiswaistandtothefrontoftheboatfortheswimmingstage.Forthebikingstage,Rickwillrideaspecialtwo-seaterbicycle,andthenDickwillpushRickinhiscustommaderunningchair(fortherunningstage).
Rickwasonceasked,ifhecouldgivehisfatheronething,whatwoulditbe?Rickresponded,"ThethingI’dmostlikeisformydadtositinthechairandIwouldpushhimforonce."
The2009BostonMarathonwasofficiallyTeamHoyt’s1000thrace.RickalwayssaysifitcomesdowntodoingoneraceayearhewouldlikeittobetheBostonMarathon:hisfavoriterace.DickHoythopesthatheisabletopushRickintheBostonMarathonwhenheis70yearsold(2011)!NeitherDickorRickarereadytoretireyet.
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