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TORONTO – One day after the deadly blasts at the Boston Marathon, many are praising the first-responders and strangers who came to the aid of victims.
Three people, including 8-year-old Martin Richard, were killed and over 170 were injured Monday after two explosive devices went off near the finish line at the Boston Marathon. Some 23,000 runners took part in the race, which attracts more than 500,000 spectators and finishes up in the heart of central Boston, near the landmark Prudential Center and the Boston Public Library.
While many questions remain unanswered, Global News takes a look at some of the heroes of the Boston Marathon explosion.
The first-responders
On Twitter, one of the most shared messages was a quote from American television host Fred Rogers: “Look for the helpers. You’ll always find people who are helping.”
According to The Associated Press, police commissioner Ed Davis said 176 victims were brought to hospitals around Boston, and 17 were in critical condition.
At least eight children were being treated at hospitals.
Those who were in the medical tents being treated for post-race injuries like dehydration and fatigue were pushed out to make room for victims of the bombing.
“I had worked in an ER, so I’d seen (traumatic) injuries, but nothing like this. There was just lots and lots and lots of damage,” said medical tent nurse Kim Giroux in an interview with the Tewksbury Patch. Giroux said it was her first time volunteering her services at the Marathon and that “it was something she had always wanted to do.”
Read more: Canadian man chronicles happiness before race, solidarity following Boston Marathon bombing attacks
In a speech addressing the nation after the blasts, President Barack Obama paid tribute to the first responders and heroes.
“Boston police, firefighters, and first responders as well as the National Guard responded heroically, and continue to do so as we speak. It’s a reminder that so many Americans serve and sacrifice on our behalf every single day, without regard to their own safety, in dangerous and difficult circumstances. And we salute all those who assisted in responding so quickly and professionally to this tragedy.”
Extended video: Obama press conference on Boston explosions
In one of the many photos that have gone viral, a police officer was seen carrying a child to safety.
The marathon runners
According to the Daily Beast, marathoners tore off their shirts to use as tourniquets on victims.
In a tweet by the U.S. Army, just after finishing the race, two soldiers appeared to run to the explosion site:
A Kansas surgeon had finished the race moments before he ran to help the wounded.
The first blast came about 30 seconds after Dr. Chris Rupe, of Salina, Kan., crossed the finish line. At first, he thought the sound came from a building or grandstand collapsing. He hurried to see if he could help and spent about an hour in the medical tent treating the wounded.
After that, most had been taken to hospitals.
“I’d just run 26 miles. I was starting to get tired,” Rupe told The Salina Journal. “There were a lot of great people who were there. There are a lot of good people in the world.”
As news of the explosions continued to spread, marathoners allegedly ran to hospital to donate blood. Overwhelmed with donations, The American Red Cross tweeted the following:
The spectators
According to the Telegraph, one man ripped off his belt to make a tourniquet and stop the bleeding of a seriously injured victim.
“Somebody’s leg flew by my head,” spectator John Ross told the Boston Herald. “I gave my belt to stop the blood.”
After the blasts, former Patriots offensive linesman Joe Andruzzi was seen carrying a woman to safety.
“While I appreciate the interest in hearing our perspective on today’s horrific events, the spotlight should remain firmly on the countless individuals — first responders, medics, EMTs, runners who crossed the finish line and kept on running straight to give blood, and the countless civilians who did whatever they could to save lives,” said Andruzzi in a statement posted by Andrew Siciliano of NFL.com.
“They were the true heroes. Our thoughts prayers go out to all those affected by this senseless tragedy.”
Famed peace activist Carlos Arredondo is also being hailed as a hero as he rushed to help victims just seconds after the first explosion.
In a haunting photo, Arredondo is seen aiding a man into a wheelchair after the victim lost both of his legs in the blasts. “I kept talking to him. I kept saying, ‘Stay with me, stay with me,’” said Arredondo in an interview with the Press Herald.
According to Gawker.com, Arredondo was at the marathon as a spectator supporting a runner who was participating in the marathon in honour of his son. Arredondo turned to a life of activism protesting the war in Iraq after his son was killed serving as a solider overseas in 2004.
Four years later, Arredondo’s surviving son committed suicide.
Below is an interview with Arredondo shortly after the Boston blasts.
The people of Boston
Hours after the attack, an online form was posted where thousands quickly began to offer their place as accommodation for stranded runners and those in need.
Several airlines began to waive their fees for changing flights to allow those that were stranded to leave the city. Southwest Airlines tweeted that they would accommodate those affected at no additional costs:
Throughout Monday evening, the hashtag #BostonHelp began appearing on Twitter. According to reports, Boston residents began continued to offer their homes, free meals and showers, free of charge. “Runner just told me he’s been stopped numerous times by Bostonians asking if he needs a bed or a shower,” read a tweet from a reporter at The Boston Globe.
Remembering the victims
One of the victims, 8-year-old Martin Richard, is being remembered by his neighbours.
The third grader was waiting near the finish line cheering on spectators competing in the race. He was killed after one of the bombs went off. The boy’s mother and six-year-old sister were badly injured.
Neighbours remember 8-year-old Boston Marathon bombing victim Martin Richard
“What a gift. To know him was to love him,” said a longtime friend of the family in an interview with The Associated Press.
“He had that million-dollar smile and you never knew what was going to come out of him. Denise is the most spectacular mother that you’ve ever met and Bill is a pillar of the community. It doesn’t get any better than these people.”
On Tuesday, Krystle Campbell of Medford, Massachusetts was identified as the second victim in the Boston Marathon blasts.
The restaurant manager headed to the marathon with a friend to take a photo of her friend’s boyfriend as he crossed the finish line Monday afternoon.
Campbell’s father said she was a “very caring, very loving person, and was daddy’s little girl.”
A state-run Chinese newspaper says the third person killed in the Boston Marathon bombings is a Chinese graduate student at Boston University originally from China’s northeastern city of Shenyang.
According to media reports, Lu Lingzi graduated from a Shenyang high school and studied international trade at Beijing Institute of Technology before she went to the United States. The Associated Press says that friends that have been contacted have largely declined to speak to media about Lu, saying they were adhering to the wishes of Lu’s family.
– With files from The Associated Press
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