BOSTON – The boy who was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings was remembered by neighbors Tuesday as a vivacious 8-year-old who loved to run and climb.
Martin Richard was among the three people killed in the explosions Monday, according to U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, a friend of the family for 25 years. The boy’s mother, Denise, and 6-year-old sister, Jane, were badly injured.
They had gone to get ice cream, then returned to the area near the finish line. Neighbor Jack Cunningham said Martin’s father, Bill, was a runner but—despite previous reports—didn’t run the marathon.
According to WBZ-TV in Boston, Martin’s father released the following statement to media on Tuesday:
“My dear son Martin has died from injuries sustained in the attack on Boston. My wife and daughter are both recovering from serious injuries. We thank our family and friends, those we know and those we have never met, for their thoughts and prayers. I ask that you continue to pray for my family as we remember Martin. We also ask for your patience and for privacy as we work to simultaneously grieve and recover. Thank you.”
A candle burned on the stoop of the family’s single-family home in the city’s Dorchester section Tuesday, and the word “Peace” was written in chalk on the front walkway.
Neighbor Betty Delorey says Martin loved to climb the neighborhood trees, and hop the fence outside his home.
The children’s father, Bill, is the director of a local community group. The boy’s mother, Denise, works at the Neighborhood House Charter School, where her children attend classes.
Two bombs blew up seconds apart Monday at the finish line of one of the world’s most storied races, tearing off limbs and leaving the streets spattered with blood and strewn with broken glass.
President Barack Obama was careful not to use the words “terror” or “terrorism” as he spoke at the White House on Monday, but an administration official said the bombings were being treated as an act of terrorism.
Comments