Via RunnersWorld, a look at an inspirational fixture of the running scene for more than 40 years, Rick Hoyt, who defied all odds and inspired many through his unwavering spirit and pursuit of athletic excellence. Beyond his physical accomplishments, Rick was also a symbol of inclusion and education, advocating for a world where individuals of all abilities could pursue their dreams without limits.

A fixture of the running scene for more than 40 years, Rick Hoyt, who defied all odds and inspired many through his unwavering spirit and pursuit of athletic excellence, has died.

“It is with profound sadness that the Hoyt Family announces the passing of our beloved brother and uncle, Rick Hoyt, this morning. Rick was 61 years old. Rick passed away due to complications with his respiratory system,” the family said in a statement released on Monday.

Rick was born with cerebral palsy, which left him a quadriplegic. Despite his disability, Rick, alongside his devoted late father, Dick Hoyt, became a running icon—with Dick pushing Rick in his wheelchair. Throughout the pair’s illustrious running career, Dick pushed Rick in more than 1,000 races, including 32 Boston Marathons, the race that rocketed Team Hoyt to fame. Dick retired from running in 2014, while Rick in 2021, the year that his father passed away at 80 from congestive heart failure.

Rick’s passion for running was ignited in 1977 when the 16-year-old told his dad he wanted to take part in a race to benefit a lacrosse player who had become paralyzed. The elder Hoyt obliged for the 5-mile race (where they finished second to last), and the legendary duo was born.

“When my dad and I are out there on a run, a special bond forms between us,” Rick, who spoke through the aid of a computer voice program, told The New York Times in 2009. “And it feels like there is nothing Dad and I cannot do.”

In addition to Rick’s running career, the pair competed in six Ironmans, where Dick pulled Rick in a boat during the swim, and the team rode a tandem bike for the cycling portion. Their marathon personal best was 2:40:47, set in 1992 at the Marine Corps Marathon, a time that won Dick the 50-59 age group.

Rick’s death comes on the eve of the first Dick Hoyt Memorial road race, set to be held this weekend in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. “We will be making a decision on whether that will still happen on Saturday or be postponed until a later date,” the family said.

Beyond his physical accomplishments, Rick was also a symbol of inclusion and education, advocating for a world where individuals of all abilities could pursue their dreams without limits.

“We all will truly miss Rick as we have missed his father,” said Dave McGillivray, longtime Boston Marathon race director, “but we will never, ever forget the gift they both left all of us—that we all can overcome obstacles and we can accomplish special things in our lives that have positive impacts on other people’s lives.”