Most Inspirational Duo in the Ironman Race

Dick and Rick Hoyt, better known as Team Hoyt, are a father and son duo who race in the Ironman. This is no ordinary father and son team. This team is arguably the most inspirational team to ever race. Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy due to oxygen deprivation at the time of his birth. His parents, Dick and Judy, went against the advice to institutionalize him and
instead let him live his life as any other person would. In 1977, Rick told his dad he wanted to run in a 5-mile benefit run for a lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. After the race, Rick said, "Dad, when I'm running, it feels like I'm not handicapped." Since then, Team Hoyt have ran in over 1,000 races and have even biked and ran across the United States, completing 3,735 miles in 45 days. If this story has taught us anything, it is that perseverance and determination go a long way. There is no "I can't do it." There is only "Yes, you can!"

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

http://www.teamhoyt.com/index.html

Update: 04/24/13

Rick and Dick Hoyt were on mile 25 of the Boston Marathon when they realized something to be wrong. Team Hoyt was expecting last week's Boston Marathon to be their last time competing in the race, but because of the bombing, they will return next year to honor the victims.

Rock Climber with Cerebral Palsy

Yesterday, we made a blog post about how a disability should not limit someone from pursuing their love of sports. Today, we have an inspirational story about a man named Steve Wampler. Steve has a physical disability called cerebral palsy. He cannot walk, and his right arm is the only fully functioning arm. Nonetheless, Steve Wampler did 20,000 pull-ups and slept on a mountain for 5 nights in order to climb the largest rock face in the world, El Capitan in Yosemite. Previously an environmental engineer, Steve gave up his job and created a camp for kids with physical disabilities to help inspire them to challenge themselves in the wilderness. Steve Wampler has become such an inspiration that he has been on the news in over 70 countries, was awarded Red Cross's Real Hero award, was named United Cerebral Palsy Man of the Year, and Ellen Degeneres even sang a song about him on stage. People like Steve Wampler demonstrate that a disability does not stop you from fulfilling your dreams.

For more information on the Wampler Foundation, please visit:
http://rockonsteve.org/

To donate to EmpowerTech and help empower people with disabilities, please visit:
http://empowertech.org/