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Journalism of Courage
Emotions ran high on Monday when the brother of the Boston Marathon bombing victim reached the finishing line of the 2022 event to honour his sibling. Video of the poignant moment has left many teary-eyed on social media as well.
In 2013, Martin Richard, from Dorchester, Massachusetts, was just eight years old when he was killed when bombs went off at the Boston marathon. He was the youngest of the three victims that passed away in the terrorist attack that left nearly 300 injured.
Nine years later, Martin’s brother, 20-year-old Henry, returned to the event to participate in the marathon. The Boston Globe reported that Henry Richard finished the 26-mile course in a time of 4:02:20 and immediately embraced his family: his sister, Jane, who lost a leg in the bombings, and his parents, Bill and Denise. Video shows them not being able to hold back their tears while huddling together.
“It’s been years in the making for me so I’m just so happy I could finally be here,” Henry told CBS Boston. “I did it for both of us, and my sister and the rest of my family,” he added.
“I know if (Martin) was here, either this year or the next coming years, he would have been doing it with me. So that’s all I could think about,” Henry was quoted by WCVB 5. With the names of his siblings written on his arms and shoulders during the race, Henry ran with Team MR8, to raise money for the Martin Richard Foundation, which promotes inclusion, kindness, and peace in Martin’s legacy.
NBC News reported that the American who won the 2014 Boston Marathon while wearing a bib with the bombing victims’ names written on it, Meb Keflezighi, presented Henry his finisher medal. Henry said he plans to run the marathon again in the future.
