At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, British sprinter Derek Redmond had his dreams of an olympic medal crushed by a debilitating hamstring injury in the middle of a semi-final race. But whereas most athletes would just submit to defeat, bend over, and cry, Redmond was determined to finish what he started. So he picks himself up off the ground and begins hobbling around the track toward the finish line. Then, just when it seems he might not be able to go on any longer, Redmond’s dad forces his way onto the track and puts his arm around his son, who cries on his shoulder as the two finish the race together. Rick Hoyt was born with cerebral palsy in 1962. Doctors told his parents to institutionalize him because he would be nothing more than a “vegetable,” but they knew better. They saw the way his eyes would follow whatever was going on, and that gave them hope that he could one day communicate. And sure enough, with the help of a computer, one day he did. From there Rick went on to graduate from both high school and college. But what’s really amazing about Rick Hoyt is his unique relationship with his father, Dick. Rick had always loved sports, but due to his physical limitations he had a tough time finding a sport in which he could participate. Then, one day Rick read an article about running in a magazine that gave him an idea: what if his dad ran and pushed him in a wheelchair? So they gave it a shot, and the rest was history. Since then, the two have competed in 1,032 endurance events, including a whopping 68 marathons and (perhaps even more impressively) 6 iron man triathlons. Father Dick Hoyt—who is obviously a natural athlete given that he is able to compete so well into his 60s—says he never really had the competitive spirit on his own. But when his son Rick said to him, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped”—that gave him all the motivation he needed. Billy Miske (1894-1924) was by all accounts one of the most under-appreciated boxers of his era. He had a record of 48-2-2, which included wins against some of the biggest names in boxing and losses to two champions. But it’s not Miske’s boxing prowess that makes his story inspirational. It’s his willingness and determination to make the ultimate sacrifice for his family. You see, Miske was diagnosed with a terminal kidney disease by his doctor, given 5 years to live, and told to retire. However, because he knew his family was depending on him financially, he kept jumping the ring and told no one—not even his wife—about his illness. Eventually, after a one-round knockout loss to the great Jack Dempsey, he finally decided to call it quits. But just 11 months later, with his family struggling to get by, Miske somehow conned promotors into giving him a huge fight. By this time, he could barely walk and thus could not train for the fight. Nevertheless, he entered the ring and knocked out his younger opponent in the 4th round. He took the $2,400 he earned to buy back furniture he hap pawned several years ago, as well as some toys for his kids and a piano for his wife. Then he died just a week later at the age of 29.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 16:04:45 +0000
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