Boston Marathon Tragedy

[moira finnie]

Having lived in Boston for decades until the last few years, I have an enormous fondness for the festive Spring celebration surrounding the 117th Boston Marathon and the fact that Patriots Day (commemorating the Battles of Lexington and Concord at the outset of the Revolutionary War) allows many people to take a day off from work to enjoy the early Spring day and the sight of so many athletes doing something for love. Consequently, when I just heard the news here of at least two explosions around 3pm near the finish line, I was heartbroken, recognizing the streets and area so vividly a part of my daily life for so long.

Please pray for all of those who are reported severely injured among the crowd and the runners.

[Rita Hayworth]

I just got an e-mail from my nephew to turn on the news about this and (he told me this) the latest count is 23 wounded and 2 dead. I was stunned by all this and my nephew was in the marathon he was 2/3 in (police advises him to stop running, he did) and he got out his phone and informed all of us that he is okay and decided to go back to his hotel and leave for home. Before he did that, he made sure that the airline can allow him to go home a day earlier. He is on his way home - Thankfully.

I watching the as I type this post. I am stunned ...

This is his 2nd Boston Marathon, he ran three years ago.

[moira finnie]

Thank God your nephew is okay. I don't know if the airlines will be running on schedule after this since Logan announced an immediate stop to flights as of the news of the explosions, but perhaps they will be unaffected by tomorrow. I heard from family already that everyone seems to be okay (and didn't go to the finish line this year). I worked a block away from all this for over a decade and am hoping that all of my former co-workers are safe.

The Boston Police Commissioner just announced that there was a third "controlled" explosion on Boylston after the first two, and another explosion at the JFK Library in Dorchester. He reported that no one appears to have been hurt in the latter two blasts. Still unknown what the origins of this might have been, and the cops are understandably reluctant to say it was a bomb or terrorist act since there were no apparent threats that the Commissioner knew of this morning.

[JackFavell]

I just heard about the marathon... I am so glad your nephew is alright.

[The Ingenue]

God comfort the people who saw it. Give grace to those who are living it. And help the investigators and keep them safe. Amen.

[RedRiver]

I've only been to Boston once. If there's a more delightful city anywhere, I'd like to see it. Not that that has anything to with the tragedy. This would be terrible in any town. God bless.

[Rita Hayworth]

My nephew got home around 2am in the morning; I usually up at that time picked him up and took him to his parent's place because his car at their place. He stayed overnight there before heading back home. I had lunch with him and (his parents stayed home today from work and wanted to get the scoop of all this) he told me that Logan Airport was in the process of being closed because of security issues dealing with the bombing during the Boston Marathon. So, he decided to take a bus ride to Portland Maine to take a small plane ride to Buffalo New York and hopefully he can take a flight from Buffalo non-stop to Seattle.

So, while he was debating about it ... his airline advised him to wait it out for another 2-3 hours and sure thing they ended up allowing flights back home so he waited out at Logan Airport and came back home - nonstop. He heard two bombs going off and saw hoard of people scrambling for safety and he was running with his friend who happen to live in Boston and he touched base with him while texting with him at Logan Airport for two hours killing time ... his friend was 100 yards from the finish line and got blood all over the back side of his shirt with pieces of glass embedded on his back. Fortunately, he was treated at a mobile first aid unit and had something like 8-12 stitches for every piece of glass was on his back. Everywhere else was okay and a nurse advises him to the nearest hotel (they opened up several rooms not being used for a quick shower) to get cleaned up and he called his mother to bring him some clean clothes to wear back home. It took his mother about 3 hours to get to his son so he can have clean clothes to put on. He wore a hotel robe for the whole time in a waiting room watching television and the hotel management graciously gave him some food, juice, and what not to make sure that he is well taken care of.

So, his mother came by and gave him his clothes and went to the bathroom to put them on and went home. My nephew was relieved that his college buddy was okay and back home safe.

Back to my nephew ... he back home at his apartment and his boss told him to take the rest of the week off to take it easy and come back next Monday for work. He was happy about that and I will be finding more about it next Sunday when we have our family brunch together so he can share more about the Boston Marathon. I hope to find out more about his friend ... I met him several times when he was in college together and I am hoping for an e-mail from him soon.

Anyway, my nephew had no injury and he was 4 miles away from the finish line when the bombs went off.

That's all I have for now. More coming next Monday.

[moira finnie]

I was so glad to read that a local Boston hotel opened its doors to people in need like your nephew's friend. I hope he'll be okay long term too. Your nephew must have been exhausted by the time he got home. Thank goodness his boss gave him the rest of the week off. I hope that no one minds my posting of a picture of Richard Martin, the 8 year old boy whose brief life ended yesterday. His message never rang more true.

[charliechaplinfan]

It's truly an awful thing that has happened, how can some people's minds work this way? My heart goes out to everyone, a bomb attack chips away at everyone's sense of security and rest in peace to the victims.

I'm glad your nephew's freind is OK Erik.

[RedRiver]

I have a mind to watch THE LATE GEORGE APLEY in honor of this wonderful city and her residents.

[charliechaplinfan]

It's not a good week for US news, my heart goes out to you, how awful to have two tragedies in one week. I only hope the second tragedy isn't related to terrorism, your in our UK news and our thoughts and prayers.

[sandykaypax]

Erik, thank goodness your nephew and his friend are safe. How scary that must have been.

Moira, I've seen the picture of Richard Martin so much these past few days. What a sweet little boy. So sad.

I don't understand why anyone wants to hurt people that they do not know. Just random violence. What hole is that filling for the person who does these things?

Sandy K

[moira finnie]

I don't understand why anyone wants to hurt people that they do not know. Just random violence. What hole is that filling for the person who does these things?

I keep wondering the same thing every time something like this happens. It hurts to think of anyone walking around with so much rage inside them and so little empathy for others. However, the only good thing about this and other such events is that many more kind people rush to help those hurt than participate in this kind of madness. We can see a nod here to just a few of these largely unsung helpers.

[RedRiver]

Allison, as far as we know, the Texas tragedy was strictly accidental. But that was my first thought too. "Don't tell me..."

[Rita Hayworth]

Erik, thank goodness your nephew and his friend are safe. How scary that must have been.

Moira, I've seen the picture of Richard Martin so much these past few days. What a sweet little boy. So sad.

I don't understand why anyone wants to hurt people that they do not know. Just random violence. What hole is that filling for the person who does these things?

Sandy K

Thanks Sandy for your kind words and all ...

Update on my Nephew's Friend: He had 4 cuts from broken glass that hit him in the back - an average of 9 stitches per cut (and one of them required 4 staples too) for a grand total of 36 stitches and 4 staples. He's off work the rest of the week until the stitches and staples come off this Saturday. He will be able to go back to work as light construction worker fixing all the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy last year.

I will be sharing more on Monday when my family get together for a family brunch on Sunday getting more info from my Nephew.