The Hoyt Foundation February Newsletter |
From the Office of the President |
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February is the month we celebrate love. I want to explain ours - Brotherly Love.
Rick was the oldest, Rob the middle brother and me, the baby of the family. There were times when we were young that we were inseparable. If Rob and I were planning to play wiffle ball in the back yard, Rick was part of it. Sometimes he was the umpire and if we didn’t like a call he made, he became home plate. Boys will be boys… |
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As we got older we all had our own lives. Rick went off to Boston University. Rob married young and had two boys of his own to care for. I moved from Westfield to Wakefield following the love of my life, Lisa, my wife of almost 35 years. But we were always a huge part of each other's lives. When Dad and Rick completed Ironman Germany, Rob was there (making sure Rick tasted the best German beer!). When Dad and Rick biked and ran across America I was there (carrying Rick up the stairs to see the Lincoln Memorial when we made it to Washington D.C).
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Rick was the best man in Rob’s wedding - twice! Funny story, when Rob decided to get married for the second time he proposed to Zaida at a restaurant in Hawaii when we were there to support Dad and Rick as they celebrated their induction into the Ironman Hall of Fame. As soon as Rob proposed, Rick used his computer to ask, “Can I be your best man again?” Rob of course said yes. As I was complaining that I didn’t get a turn Rick was already typing and immediately responded, “You snooze, you lose little brother.” Boys will be boys…
Our wish to you all is that you experience this type of love with someone in your life.
Happy Valentine’s Day, The Hoyt Family, Team Hoyt, and The Hoyt Foundation |
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On The Passing of a Very Special Friend of Team Hoyt... |
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A few weeks ago, Edwin J. Burke of Waltham left this earth. I like to think that he’s up there in heaven with members of his family who have passed, especially his daughter Jessica who died of cancer at age 2, and the group of friends that gathered around him and supported him, or received support from him, like Dick and Rick. To explain as fully as possible the bond that was established between Eddie “Gonzo” Burke and Team Hoyt, I have to go back to 1983 when I met the 3 of them, along with Dave McGillivray, all on the same fateful day—a day that changed my life forever, and for the better, just like so many other folks who crossed their paths.
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Back then, I was working for a company named XRE Corp. under the leadership of another influential person in my life, John K. Grady of Harvard, MA. John had taken me under his wing in 1972 when I was newly married, expecting a child and looking for a good job. Over the 30 years I worked for John I did just about every job in the place, ultimately earning a position on the management team as Vice President. In ’83 though I was still learning the ropes.
One day John came to me and said something like, “Mike, a friend of mine (aka drinking buddy) told me about a very special father and son, Dick and Ricky Hoyt, who compete together in the Boston Marathon and other sporting events, like triathlons. Ricky is physically disabled and unable to swim, run or bike, so Dick swims while towing Ricky in a boat, pushes him in a wheelchair or tows the chair behind his bike—whatever the challenge requires. A buddy of mine, Eddie Burke, knows them well. Eddie convinced me to sponsor a custom competition bike and chair that was built specifically for them. Someone else originally promised to pay for that equipment, but that person pulled out at the last minute—so we’re stepping in. The Hoyts are competing in a triathlon in Medford this weekend. I’d like you to go down there and see what this is all about.”
So, knowing little about the Boston Marathon, and nothing at all about triathlons, I drove down to Medford that fateful Saturday morning to meet Dick and Ricky, along with their main cheerleader, Eddie Burke. When I arrived at Wrights Pond, I asked one of the guys working there if he could point me to Eddie Burke. I’m pretty sure that guy said something like, “you’ll hear him before you see him. He’s the guy with the megaphone—not that he needs it to be heard!”
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Sure enough, I heard the megaphone and some crazy stuff was coming out of it! Eddie was playfully harassing Dick and Rick from the shoreline while they were preparing for the swim event in Dave McGillivray’s Bay State Triathlon. I really couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing! Dick was waist deep in Wright’s Pond with a mesh aviator’s vest on that had a metal ring sewn onto it in the back between his shoulder blades. One end of a length of yellow nylon rope was tied to that ring, and the other end was tied to the bow of a 2-man inflatable boat. Inside that boat, comfortably reclining in a beanbag chair, was Ricky—with a big smile on his face and waving his arms all around, That was because Eddie was making some wisecrack about what Ricky was wearing, or his perch in the boat looking a little like Cleopatra in her barge on the Nile, or some other BS to amuse us all… I would learn that day and personally experience it for decades into the future—that was Eddie Burke in a nutshell. He was everyone’s biggest fan and a talented entertainer with a quick wit and always something positive to say no matter what was going on in his own life.
I met Dave McGillivray and his team of “retrobates” that day, including Eddie, who were putting on this event and many others. Dave says he met Eddie at The Elliot Lounge after returning from his famous cross-country run raising money for The Jimmy Fund. Eddie was also a big supporter of the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Center whose people tried heroically to save his daughter Jessica. It was a natural and meaningful bond. Dave introduced Eddie to the Hoyts at an earlier running of the Bay State Triathlon. Eddie never left their side after that—and he roped me into it too!
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I became a member of Team Hoyt assisting them as they prepared to run a race, or in transitions as they competed in triathlons, along with Rick’s mom, Judy, and his brothers, Robbie and Russell. Dave was responsible for getting Dick and Rick into the Boston Marathon, the Ironman Triathlon and many, many other events with constant encouragement from Eddie. |
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All three of them are gone now—my “busom buddies”, Rick, Dick and Eddie. No one is perfect—and these three are no exceptions to that rule—but they left the world a better place. Like so many others, I miss them all, but I cherish the time I spent with them. None of this would have happened if Eddie hadn’t convinced John Grady over a beer at Charlie’s Kitchen in Harvard Square all those years ago to sponsor Dick and Rick.
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| We should all be grateful to Eddie Burke for everything he did to help Dick and Rick become Team Hoyt. I know Dick and Rick would say the very same thing if they were with us today.
Mike Giallongo Vice President, The Hoyt Foundation |
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Rick Hoyt's Essay: What It's Like to be Non-Vocal |
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Back in 1980 when Rick was a Freshman in High School, he wrote about what it is like to be a non-vocal person. |
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45 years ago, Rick’s hope was that he would change people’s attitudes about people with disabilities. I truly believe he has and even though there is more work to do he has put us on the right track. In 1980 there was one Duo Team, Dick & Rick Hoyt – Team Hoyt - that’s it. At the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon there were over 75 Duo Teams that ran. There are Duo teams that have competed in all the world majors. Think about that for a minute. From Rick’s words of, "I hope", to a world where inclusion has taken hold and continues to grow. Can one person change the world? Well Rick – Yes You Can!
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We love it when people share their connection to our family and how Dad & Rick inspired them. Clyde Dickey sent us the following: “Russ, thank you for carrying the torch. I will be running in my 16th Boston and partly because of your family and story. You inspire many of us beyond Team Hoyt. Here I am, #16945, crossing the finish line in Boston last year for my 15th straight.” |
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Clyde continued to say –
“Seeing the inspiring father and son Hoyt duo at several of the Boston Marathons I ran reminded me of a wheelbarrow race with my dad when I was a kid. We were leading the pack, but my arms gave out as Dad dragged me across the finish line for 2nd place. Didn’t matter. We did it together!” Join us one week before Boston and be inspired like Clyde. The Team Hoyt Taper is the perfect way to celebrate all things Boston and Team Hoyt. We can all do it together! |
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| Team Hoyt Taper - Run, Roll or Walk with Us! |
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Join Team Hoyt on Saturday, April 11th for the 4th Annual Team Hoyt Memorial Race, featuring the Team Hoyt Taper - a family-friendly event celebrating inclusion, community, and the enduring legacy of Dick and Rick Hoyt.
Held in Hopkinton one week before the Boston Marathon, the course passes the iconic Start Line and Team Hoyt Statue, offering a unique way to soak up the energy of Boston Marathon Week while honoring a powerful legacy.
With a 5-mile run, 2-mile walk, and kids' race, the event welcomes participants of all ages and abilities! However you take part, we invite you to run, walk, or roll with us!
Event Details:
When: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Where: Hopkinton, MA | EMC Park
Register with code RETURN15 for 15% off your race registration! |
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Charity Runners Getting Ready for Boston |
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Erica Harlow is running the Boston Marathon as part of Team Hoyt and to help meet her fundraising goal she threw a fun and successful Punch-a-thon event at her local Kickboxing Club - CKO Kickboxing in Londonderry, NH. The event was well supported by the club owners LouAnn and Brian Gentiluomo. https://www.ckokickboxing.com/nh-londonderry/
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The theme was dress as your favorite movie character! |
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| Team Hoyt x Bruins Alumni: Charity Hockey Game |
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This March, Team Hoyt brings the power of inclusion to the ice in a special charity hockey matchup against the Boston Bruins Alumni. The connection between the Hoyt family and the Bruins runs deep, dating back decades to when Rick Hoyt was just a teenager. A devoted hockey fan, Rick’s first words spelled on a communication device were famously simple and unforgettable: “GO BRUINS!”
Over the years, the Hoyt family and Team Hoyt have shared many meaningful moments with the Bruins organization, including welcoming now Bruins Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara to Team Hoyt’s Boston Marathon team raising funds to support our mission of inclusion. That shared history now comes full circle as Team Hoyt suits up and takes to the ice for a one-of-a-kind charity game celebrating sport, perseverance, and community.
The event is scheduled for Sunday March 15th and all funds raised will benefit The Hoyt Foundation, supporting its mission to ensure individuals with disabilities can live, learn, play – and compete – alongside their non-disabled peers. Fans of all ages will have the chance to meet Bruins Alumni following the game and take part in an unforgettable afternoon! Tickets are limited and available in advance only. Once capacity is reached, sales will close, so be sure to secure yours early! Event Details
When: Sunday, March 15th | 2:00 - 4:00pm
Where: Mullins Center, 200 Commonwealth Ave., Amherst MA
Cost: $10 General Admission | FREE for Kids 3 years and under |
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YES YOU CAN Grant Reminder |
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Parents Dick and Judy Hoyt believed their son Rick should never be limited by his disability. Through their relentless advocacy, Rick was able to live, learn, and play alongside his non-disabled peers, participating in marathons, competing in triathlons, and earning a college degree. Their legacy continues through the Dick and Judy Hoyt YES YOU CAN Inclusion Grant, which exists to remove barriers and expand access to inclusive opportunities.
Families with a child or young adult with a disability may apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support adaptive sports or recreational equipment, specialized instruction or coaching, accessibility modifications, and program fees that enable participation alongside non-disabled peers.
The current grant cycle is open and accepting applications through March 8th. Apply for a grant below or share the link with someone in your community who would benefit from this support. |
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