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The Untold Story of Judy Hoyt, Champion of the Disabled

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Sunnyside Gardens

Monday, April 15, 2024: In honor of Team Hoyt and their incredible contribution to Boston Marathon history, we are resurfacing this article.

This is the first in a series on the Hoyt family and their foundation. Dick Hoyt and his son Rick ran as a duo in the 72 marathons including the Boston Marathon 32 times. They completed 257 triathlons, 6 of which were Ironman’s. Their connection to Hopkinton runs deep, with a statue honoring them in from of the Center School, near the start of the marathon. The Hoyt Foundation hosts the Dick Hoyt Memorial 5 mile run/2 mile walk in Hopkinton on Saturday, May 27, and invites all to participate.

It was 2010 and she was dying. Ovarian cancer had won. 

In hospice, surrounded by her sons, Judy Hoyt turned to her youngest, Russell, and said “please get your father”. 

Dick Hoyt, by then her ex-husband of 18 years, entered the room. From her bed, Judy reached out and took Dick’s hand. “I’m sorry,” she said. “You know I always loved you.”

With tears in his eyes, Dick replied “You are the only true love of my life.”


The Power Couple

Judith Leighton was born in Portland, Maine, exactly two months before V-E Day. Her family later moved to North Reading, where she attended high school.

Richard “Dick” Hoyt was born in North Reading, the fifth of 10 children, squeezed into a two bedroom house. Dick and Judy were high school sweethearts, he the captain of the football team, she the captain of the cheerleading team. The two were inseparable; A quote in their yearbook reads “Richie and Judy are like coffee and tea, one without the other you rarely will see.” 

It was easy to see that the two combined were greater than the sum of their parts.

The couple married out of high school, and within a year were expecting their first child.  Richard “Rick” Hoyt, Jr., was born in 1962. During labor, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, depriving his brain of oxygen. He was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. 

Dick & Judy with one-year old Rick

The doctors advised Dick and Judy to institutionalize Rick because he was never going to be anything other than “a vegetable.”

The couple was dumbfounded by the doctor’s advice, and they refused to accept it. “After we cried a bit, we agreed that we were going to bring Rick up like every other kid,” said Dick in an interview with HBO’s Real Sports.

While Judy stayed home to care for Rick, Dick joined the Army National Guard, and later transferred to the Air National Guard, where he would spend the next 30 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Sons Robert and Russell were born in 1964 and 1967.

Rick was included in everything. When Rick’s brothers played hockey in the neighborhood, he joined in. Dick Hoyt recounted, “We took him out on the ice in his wheelchair and we’d push him around. We put a hockey stick on his wheelchair too and we skated with him, so he could join in the game and not be stuck being the goalie all the time.” The other children in the neighborhood would often include Rick in their activities, “They treated him like everyone else because they saw him the same as we did.”

The family regularly climbed Mount Monadnock, with Rick carried on Dick’s broad shoulders. The camped and swam like regular kids. They never let Rick’s disability stop them.

From L-R: Robert, Russell and Rick

While much has been written on Dick and Rick’s legendary accomplishments – and we will cover them in subsequent stories – the powerhouse of the relationship was Judy.

“My mother was Rick’s first caretaker and our family’s support system,” said Russ. “But her real legacy, which is less known, is the work she did for every disabled person in the United States.”

Public schools fail Rick

Rick is confined to a life in a wheelchair, unable to move his limbs or speak. He cannot dress or feed himself. Doctors repeatedly told Judy and Dick that Rick did not have the cognitive abilities of a typical child, an opinion they refused to believe. 

“When Rick got his eyes opened, they were following mine and my wife’s,” said Dick Hoyt. “He was looking at us. His eyes were unbelievable. If you talked or made noises, he reacted. He paid attention.”

They knew he was intelligent, he just didn’t have a way to communicate. “The first time I got a doctor to believe me is when I asked him to tell Rick a joke,” said Judy in an early interview. “Rick’s eyes lit up at the punch line and he started laughing and the doctor was convinced.”

Although she had yet to obtain her Masters in Education from UMass, Judy was an innate and creative teacher. Determined to find a way to help her son communicate, she gathered a collection of letter blocks and glued sandpaper to them, rubbing them on Rick’s body to teach him the alphabet through sensory. 

When it was time for Rick to enter Kindergarten, Judy enrolled him in North Reading elementary. The kindergarten classroom was on the first floor of the schoolhouse, and the school was able to accommodate his wheelchair.

“I think people were thinking ‘OK, it’s kindergarten, there’s not a lot of academic pressure’,” said Russ. 

But the first grade classroom was up a flight of stairs, and the next year the school told Judy that Rick would need to go to a special school. Furious, Judy met with the Superintendent. “This isn’t right,” she protested. “My son is intelligent and can participate.” The only option they offered the Hoyt’s was a school where other students had physical but also cognitive disabilities, without the ability to understand or comprehend on the same level as Rick. Judy fought the decision but the school was intransigent. A short time later, Dick was transferred from Natick to the Barnes Air National Guard base in Westfield, Massachusetts, and the family relocated.

A breakthrough at Tufts enables Rick to communicate

In the early 1970s, the Hoyts asked a group of young engineers at Tufts University if they could build a machine that would help Rick communicate. At first, the engineers thought it would be a waste of time because they assumed that he could not understand people. They told the family that for $5,000 (about $35,000 today) they could build it. The money was raised, and in 1974 Rick got his computer. It was controlled by his head movements, allowing him to type by scrolling through rows of letters.

The excited family gathered around him, placing bets on what his first words would be. Judy was certain they would be “Hi Mom” and Dick was predicting “Hi Dad”. The brothers each thought it would be one of them. But the Bruins were in the Stanley Cup that year, and Rick was a big sports fan. “Go Bruins!” were his first words.

Dick and Judy take Rick to school

Prior to the computer, Rick and his family had developed a system they called the “spell” method. They would take the alphabet and break it down by vowels, with Rick shaking his head yes or no to each letter. The method took time, but it worked. “It was a lot like 20 Questions,” said Russ.

At age 12, and armed with his new computer, Judy was determined to place Rick in a public school. She went to the Westfield school board and convinced them to allow Rick to enroll, which they agreed to do provisionally, for one year. Judy knew this would be a challenge every year, and she decided to take action.

Local, State and Federal Influence

Working with local politicians, and taking meetings with anyone that would listen, Judy worked tirelessly to help draft the legislation known as Chapter 766, or the Massachusetts Special Education Law. Passed in 1972, Chapter 766 helped bring thousands of young people into more inclusive educational settings. It guaranteed all students age 3-22 access to an educational program best suited to their needs, regardless of disability.

The momentum continued, and Chapter 766 served as the model for the first federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975. Judy worked with 16-term Congressman Silvio Conte to help push the bill, and its successor, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, through congress. Recent research from the CDC shows that one in 6, or about 17% of all children born in the US have one or more developmental disabilities. It is difficult to overstate Judy’s impact on each and every one of those children.

Never one to rest, in 1979 Judy founded the Association for Support of Human Services (ASHS) and Kamp for Kids, the first summer camp to offer children and young adults – both with and without disabilities – an opportunity to experience growth, inclusion and fun in a summer camp setting. Hosted at Camp Togowauk in Westfield, the nonprofit operates today as a part of BHN, and has hosted more than 6,000 children to date.

Team Hoyt

Team Hoyt began in 1975 when Rick asked his father if they could run in a race together to benefit a lacrosse player at a local college who had become paralyzed. He wanted to prove that life went on no matter your disability. Dick was 36, and by his own admission out of shape. Adding to the complexity, at the time there were no wheelchairs designed to be pushed by a runner. Nonetheless, Dick began to train each day, often using a 60 pound bag of cement in place of Rick, who could not join him due to his studies. After their first race Rick said, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”

Team Hoyt went on to achieve worldwide acclaim. This video from Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel captures the incredible history and spirit of Team Hoyt.

Divorce and Legacy

By 1993, the pressure of Dick and Rick’s grueling marathon schedule – and the long hours of training that accompanied it – ended Judy and Dick’s marriage. Dick became Rick’s full time caregiver, while Judy continued to support families as an educational and parent advocate. Neither remarried, and both continuing to busy themselves in the service of others. 

Judy succumbed to ovarian cancer in 2010 and Dick to heart problems in 2021. Rick is now 61 and lives independently in Rochdale, MA, with the help of nursing support. Although he has retired from marathoning, he remains active, running shorter races with his nephews and speaking at schools with his brother Russ, as well as leading the efforts of the Hoyt Foundation.

While Rick and Dick inspired the world by their incredible endurance and partnership, Judy’s quiet legislative achievements ensured that all children in the US have the opportunity to receive a proper education no matter their circumstances.

Their memory lives on in the Hoyt Foundation, which they formed in 1989. Each year the foundation provides “Yes You Can” grants from $5,000 to $25,000 to help children be included alongside their non-disabled peers. To fund these grants, the foundation hosts the Dick Hoyt Memorial Run in Hopkinton each May, and they invite everyone to participate.

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18 COMMENTS

  1. So very important for individuals with disabilities. I raised my two children in Westfield and lived there for about 12 to 15 years. I never knew the Hoyts started in Westfield and in fact filed numerous formal disability complaints against Westfield City government and various businesses in Westfield, Southwick, Holyoke and South Hadley. The Town of Westfield says nothing about the Hoyts

  2. Fabulous story… thanks for publishing. My sister Judy was an incredible, determined, confident and proud woman who changed the US educational system and disability rights forever. Dick never said no and was just as amazing in his own super-human way. Clearly, Rick was the driving force behind them both, able to communicate in silence for so many years until technology gave him a voice that allowed him to change the world and make it a better place for all.

  3. Love the story; thank you for sharing! I had the opportunity to work at my Aunt Judy’s Kamp for Kids one summer as a teenager with my cousins. It was an experience that changed my life in so many ways. I was in awe of her strength, determination and spirit back then, but even more so as a grown adult and mom. She was a pioneer in her own right who’s smile lit-up a room.

  4. Thank you so much for profiling Judy Hoyt. She barely got any credit for her hard work and advocacy on behalf of Ricky and all kids and adults with disabilities. I cried reading this.
    I worked with her and for her starting at ASHS and Kamp for Kids and The Federation for Children with Special Needs. We were friends for many years. Ricky had a wild sense of humor. We had lunch together at the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC because we both thought it would be hilarious. Bless the entire Hoyt family, Robbie, Russ and their families. RIP Judy, Dick and now Ricky.

    • Judy had a huge impact on myself and anyone who came into contact with her. I am a better person because of Judy Hoyt. A well deserved article. Thank you

  5. What a sweet testimony to read! The Hoyt family played a big part in my life for several years. Dick and Judy were my youth group leaders in Westfield. I babysat for the boys, volunteered in swimming and bowling programs and worked at Kamp for Kids. I saw Judy working tirelessly to make sure Ricky and all children were included. I went on to spend almost 20 years as a special education aide b/c of this wonderful family.

  6. I’m so glad to see Judy get some public recognition for her significant input to the success of all things Team Hoyt as well as changing the world of education for children with disabilities. I was a classmate and dorm mate of Ricks at BU from 1986-1988, as well as working for him as a PCA. I accompanied him and Dick on many races during that time, often following behind in their van. I volunteered with Rick at Kamp for Kids and attended several elementary school visits with him. I even remember racing with him in that van to get to his brother’s wedding on time where he was the best man! I have so many fond memories of Rick and his family. Judy, Dick and Rick inspired my life in so many ways. I am saddened to hear of Rick’s passing, but I know the 3 of them must be having a good reunion and surely laughing together in each other’s company ❤️

  7. I had to pull-up this info after seeing the program highlighting this amazing family but was very curious as to what had happened to the mom the woman who gave birth to this amazing g person?
    Her only mention was that she was divorced from Dick! How influence!
    Thank you

  8. Absolutely inspirational by all 3 of these beautiful people! Such devotion, preservance and LOVE! RIP Judy, Dick and Rick.

  9. Rick and his Dad were
    inseparable. What a man Dick Hoyt was, as the father of a disabled 18 year old young man myself, I know the loss of his Father probably took the joy of life from Rick Hoyt. I hope they are together with Jesus today,
    Running in paradise and sharing together all the wonderful memories face to face voice to voice without a talking apparatus of any kind.
    God Bless them both.
    I Live this wonderful God Blessed life they shared with all of us. ☝️

  10. Tears were running down my cheeks reading this amazing, well written and long over due story of a woman who had touched the lives of so many, disabled and abled body individuals and making this world a better world for so many. I had been blessed to have been part of their family, living with all of them for a year while attending college. Little did I know how my life would be forever changed on the day my roommate and I went for our “interview” with Judy.
    May The Hoyt Family’s history and legacy live on forever. God Bless you all!!!!!!

  11. Bravo. Thank you for writing this. My brother and I grew up with the Hoyt’s. Many many summers were spent at camp with them in Melrose and then later in Westfield. Judy was a tireless advocate for Ricky and subsequently every child who has a disability. This piece showcases her devotion
    Again Thank you for writing this

  12. Thank you for sharing the inspirational story of the Hoyt Family. I am glad I read this. They should always be known by special education teacher and students but more importantly regular education students ts who would be inspired about all they have gone through for the benefits of others. They are real beautiful lights for us to replicate in our own way. Thank you.

  13. I had the opportunity to meet Judy and become a friend with her. Judy would bring Rick to a Summer Camp Program that Professor Frank Robinson (Northeastern University) started at the Warren Center in Ashland, Ma. After graduating from school I worked @ the Hathorn Center in Danvers, Ma and Judy would bring Rick to our Saturday Recreation Programs for kids with disabilities. Judy helped me get involved in political advocacy for people with disabilities. She was instrumental in getting Chapter 766 providing equal rights for children with disabilities. Chapter 766 became the template for the federal IDEA (Individuals with Disabilites Education Act) of 1990. What I especially loved about Judy was not only that she was fierce but she also had a wonderful sense of humor and we laughed a lot when we were together

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