A woman is comforted near a triage tent set up for the Boston Marathon after explosions went off during the race Monday. Credit: Reuters
As smoke cleared from the deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon finish line, horrified runners were comforted by acts of kindness carried out by city residents.
“People in this city have been unbelievable,” Glenn Sheehan, 50, a runner born in Wakefield who now lives in South Carolina, told the Boston Globe. “‘Let me give you food, let me give you water’ — it’s been like that all afternoon.” [embedgallery id=135450]
As the city reeled from the tragedy that killed at least three and wounded at least 150, Bostonians seemed to steady themselves by reaching out to embrace those hurting even more.
Pictures of heroism and humanity flooded Twitter, from police officers carrying injured young children to the residents who left their warm homes to greet runners stranded by the emergency and offer them comfort.
A Google Docs form was quickly set up to allow Boston residents to open their homes to marathon runners from outside the area who had no place to stay in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Runners themselves also wanted to help.
Boston College junior Emily Clark wasn’t able to cross the finish line, according to the Globe. Instead, she and two friends ran to Massachusetts General Hospital to donate blood. Hospital staff told her to come back Tuesday.
Marathon volunteer John Gannon spent Monday evening helping stranded runners, driving around the Back Bay to offer assistance.
“I just couldn’t go home. I felt like I had to do something,” Gannon told the Globe. “We just felt like our mission wasn’t done.”
With additional reporting from Reuters.Follow Metro Boston on Twitter: @MetroBos
