10 years after Boston Marathon bombing " knowing we all made it through such darkness"

Readers share their memories of the Boston Marathon bombing 10 years later

The Boston Globe
By Jenna Reyes Globe Staff
Updated April 11, 2023

"I cry as I write this because I cry whenever I think about this bombing. Tears of sadness for what happened but also tears of joy knowing we all made it through such darkness and we are all stronger because of it.”-Anonymous, Cambridge

Three women with somber looks on their faces embrace. ( Michael Malyszko)

It’s been nearly 10 years since the domestic terrorist attack that took place at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Three people were killed and hundreds of others were injured when two homemade pressure cooker bombs were detonated near the finish line of the race. Following the attack, two suspects were identified and a manhunt ensued.

For those with a connection to Boston at the time, the week of the 2013 Boston Marathon is one they will never forget.

One decade later, we asked our readers to tell us what memories have stuck with them from the bombing and the days that followed.

No matter how at peace I feel, no matter how much I think I’ve forgiven myself. However much I heal, it’s not enough. It’s hard. It’s not always hard because of the guilt, either. Just all the pain you experience when you live through something like that -- you can’t forget it. So every time there’s a mass shooting, a bombing, news coverage of war, you feel the pain again, because you can feel it when you see it happen to other people. You know what it’s like to feel that terror, live through each moment in that chaos, and make decisions that you have to live with forever.”-Avery S., Arlington

All of us eventually made it home safely that afternoon. Still, I couldn’t shake the feelings of confusion, unease, and sadness. This attack hit too close to home—a place where I felt safe—and it left me more unsettled than I wanted to admit. But the tragedy did bring me closer to my family, friends, and city.”-Ryan T., Cambridge

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Soldier ran long distance Boston Marathon...while serving in Afghanistan

US soldier runs Boston marathon in Afghanistan before flying home from deployment

By: WFLA/CNN Newsource
Posted: Apr 16, 2019

(WFLA/CNN Newsource) – A US soldier ran the Boston marathon this week, but he did it while serving in Afghanistan.

Joseph Fraser did the full 26.2 mile run on Sunday, admittedly with zero training ahead of time.

He was not able to shadow Monday’s actual marathon for operations and timing reasons.

Fraser said he took the challenge, among other reasons, to tell the story of how powerful positive thinking can be to get through any tough obstacle.

He’s recovering from his run by flying home from deployment.

He boarded a plane out of Afghanistan shortly after his run.
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Who said Marines should not crawl? This one finished the race because he would not give up!

Marine running in honor of his fallen comrades crawls to the finish line of the Boston Marathon

CNN
By Amanda Jackson
April 15, 2019

(CNN)Micah Herndon proved that you never give up, no matter what, by crawling on his hands and knees to the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Micah Herndon crawls to the finish line in the 123rd Boston Marathon.

Herndon, of Tallmadge, Ohio, competed in the marathon as a tribute to the memories of three men he knew while he served as a Marine in Afghanistan. He told the Record-Courier in Portage County, Ohio, that whenever he feels like giving up he just repeats their names: Mark Juarez, Matthew Ballard and Rupert Hamer.

"I run in honor of them," Herndon told the Record-Courier. "They are not here anymore. I am here, and I am able. I am lucky to still have all my limbs. I can still be active. I find fuel in the simple idea that I can run. Some cannot."

Herndon crossed the finish line with a time of three hours and 38 minutes to complete the 26.2 miles. CNN affiliate WBZ said once he was over the yellow and blue line he was lifted into a wheelchair and given medical attention. He wore the last names of his comrades on tags on his running shoes.
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Five Years After Bombs, Boston Strong and Inspirational Survivors

CARLOS ARREDONDO

AP FILE - In this Nov. 26, 2017 file photo, Carlos Arredondo, center, gives a thumbs-up before participating in a Salute to Service military appreciation campaign before an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough, Mass. Arredondo helped save the life of marathon spectator Jeff Bauman after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. He now volunteers with the Red Cross, and his family foundation works to prevent military-related suicides. He is preparing to run in his first Boston Marathon on April 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

THEN: Millions know him as the man in the cowboy hat who helped save the life of marathon spectator Jeff Bauman, the double amputee played by Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2017 movie "Stronger." Arredondo had become an anti-war activist and suicide prevention advocate after one son was fatally shot by a sniper in Iraq and another killed himself, and he was at the finish line handing out American flags when the bombs went off. Instantly, Arredondo became a symbol of courage.

NOW: Arredondo continues to do whatever he can to help others. He volunteers with the Red Cross, and his Arredondo Family Foundation works to prevent military-related suicides and hand out Thanksgiving turkeys to veterans and their families. He's now preparing to run his first Boston Marathon.

In his own words: "What many people don't realize is that first responders also go through some of the same trauma as survivors. I've been dealing with some issues, but that doesn't slow me down. It's been an amazing journey." 
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