EDMONTON – Amidst the tragedy that has occurred at the Boston Marathon, comes hope for the future of the world’s most prestigious race.
On Monday, the Boston Marathon finish line became a scene of sheer terror after two explosions went off, leaving two dead and dozens wounded.
“It’s shocking anytime you hear of an explosion,” says Running Room founder John Stanton in Edmonton. “We hear of a very changing world, and our first thought is ‘is this a terrorist act?'”
The company’s chief financial officer, Kevin Higa, had finished running the race about 40 minutes before the two simultaneous explosions went off near the finish line.
“I was in the (Fairmont Copley) hotel (about a block away), just getting to the elevator and heard a big bang. But I didn’t in my mind ever think it was an explosion of this type. I just thought it was some sort of big truck hit another truck.”
“We heard two explosions and felt the ground shake, it was like an earthquake, really,” says top Canadian female racer at the marathon, Lisa Bentley. Like Higa, she was also staying at the Fairmont. “It was pretty scary. We didn’t know what happened. We thought maybe the grandstand had crashed down or something.”
Then came the sound of sirens, as police and emergency crews rushed to the scene. Higa and Bentley were among the numerous guests who found themselves under lockdown at the hotel.
Those who had not yet finished the race by the time of the explosions were quickly re-routed. Police, meanwhile, worked to clear the street.
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“I think the emergency team did an amazing job of controlling the situation,” Bentley says.
Investigators are still trying to determine who is behind the explosions. And the question on the minds of many, including Higa, is “why someone would do this.”
He worries about what impact this event will have on the future of the marathon. While Higa believes the explosions wouldn’t deter him from running the race again, he admits they might make him think twice about it.
“And you want to ensure that this event goes off and continues being such a fantastic event and hopefully people won’t be scared from attending events like this.”
The Running Room’s John Stanton also hopes that the spirit of the race isn’t forgotten. He explains that many people run the marathon not just because they qualified, but also to raise money and awareness for different causes.
“The marathon is about people, it’s about a celebration, it’s about helping other people, it’s about those who have good health helping other people who don’t have good health,” he says. “And it’s certainly a tragedy to have something like this impact the marathon.”
Canadians in Boston who need emergency assistance can call the Consulate General at 617-247-5100. Friends and family looking for information on Canadian citizens believed to be in the area should call 1-800-387-3124 or email sos@international.gc.ca.
More from Boston:
Boston marathon explosions at the marathon finish line (Credit: Boston Globe):
Obama press conference on Boston explosions:
Witnesses of the Boston marathon explosion talk about the chaos that ensued after the explosions and say that their reaction was to get away as quick as possible:
Boston mayor Thomas Menino and other officials update the situation and tell Boston residents to remain inside and not to venture outside:
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