By Emmi Perkins
Special to Pine Whispers
In the wake of a tragedy, people usually come together regardless of race, religion and other differences. The aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing brought out the best in people all over the city and the world because it hit home for so many, even affecting students from Reynolds High School.
Sophomore Andrew Brodeur was in Boston with his family on April 15. He was cheering on his father, who was running the marathon. Brodeur was near the family waiting area when the bombs went off; his father was safe in the changing areas.
“I was very surprised and shocked about it because all I heard was a ‘boom,’ but I just shook it off, not assuming it was anything hostile,” Brodeur said. “When I finally found out, I had gotten away from the blast area, but I was still a bit freaked out because I could have been there.”
Those explosions set off a chaotic chain of events that killed three people, injured more than 200 and led to a massive police hunt that ended with the death of one suspect and capture of a second. Some runners who had finished the race continued to run roughly two miles to the nearest hospital to donate blood. Strangers offered runners places to stay, free food, free drinks and the use of a phone to get in touch with friends and family.
Marathon Monday basically shuts down Boston’s public transportation system, its colleges and many businesses as the 26.2-mile course impacts much of Bostonian life. Those who are working include medical personnel, public safety officials and those who volunteer at the marathon.
In a large-scale disaster such as the bombing, first responders start a triage system, ranking which patients are treated and sent to hospitals first based on the level of injury. Medical personnel who rushed to the scene even as the bombs first exploded drew praise from people all over the world.
“The city of Boston is very lucky to have so many certified trauma centers within just a few miles of the incident,” 10-year EMT and paramedic Ron Sgroi said.
Those who live in and around Boston, however, are ready to be done dealing with traumatic events for a while. Abby Tatter, a 2012 Reynolds graduate, just finished her freshman year at Boston College.
“Between (Hurricane) Sandy and (winter storm) Nemo and the events of this week, there has been a lot to report home to Winston!” Tatter said in an email last month.
Tatter actually was supposed to run in the Boston Marathon, but suffered an injury which kept her from continuing her training. Many at BC have the chance to run the marathon thanks to a program that allows the students to participate without first qualifying for the prestigious event.
Even though she was not running, Tatter was still involved in the event. Boston College sits at mile 21 of the marathon’s course, right at the bottom of the most difficult hill of the course named “Heartbreak Hill.” Tatter was watching the marathon when a friend ran by, and she jumped in to support her. While running with her friend, the bombs went off, although the two were still about four or five miles from the finish line. It took a while for people to hear the news and process the seriousness of the situation.
“I also had a few close friends who were in the city by the finish,” Tatter said. “They were all OK, but they said it was an absolutely chaotic scene.”
People were running everywhere and trying to help the injured. At that point, the true kindness of many Bostonians came out as people offered rides back home to college campuses and brought people blankets and other items they needed.
“I have never seen or experienced anything like that before,” Tatter said.
A memorial was formed in Copley Square, half a mile away from the finish line, almost immediately in the wake of the disaster. Boston native Jade Larkin visited the memorial and said people were bringing flowers, stuffed animals, and shirts and hats that sported the Boston Red Sox logo. Runners brought their shoes and hung them from fences. A banner was hung with the names of those who lost their lives.
The memorial was another example of how people come together after tragedies, attempting to use kindness to overcome the sadness of such acts of violence.
“One thing I have seen through this experience is how, in the wake of a terrible situation, you can see the best in people come out,” Tatter said. “Acts of violence like that are unexpected in this country, but when they happen, people come together in support and I think that says a lot about what an amazing place we live in.”
Perkins is a sophomore taking Introduction to Journalism. This story was produced as her year-end class project.