The Boston Marathon Bombings, ten years later
A Bostonian’s reflection on his city’s strength
Ten years ago, the city of Boston came under attack. Four lives were lost in the ensuing events: Martin Richard, Lingzi Lu, Krystle Campbell, and MIT police officer Sean Collier. We shall never forget the memory of these individuals, particularly that of Officer Collier for making the ultimate sacrifice to protect MIT and the greater community.
The events of April 15, 2013, live on in all of us Bostonians. A few weeks ago in class, my health policy professor choked up when she highlighted how Boston hospitals were mobilized to save the victims of the bombings. At a service held at the Sean Collier Memorial on April 18, Officer Collier’s brother Andrew delivered a poignant statement honoring his brother. These tragedies occurred ten years ago, but proved our strength as a city to transcend raw emotions to unite.
Boston is truly a city on the hill, an emblem of this nation and the values that we represent. We sowed the seeds for the independence of this country. We laid down the tenets of American democracy. These bombings were meant to strike fear into us Bostonians. But they did not shake who we are. Through this tragedy, the city revealed its true character that has manifested itself time and time again: a place of adaptability, resilience, and heart.
Since then, the city has faced numerous other challenges: the pandemic, racial injustice, political polarization, and some Nor’easters. Having lived in the Boston area for over eleven years, I am proud to call this city home. As David Oritz said at the first Red Sox game after the bombings: “This is our fucking city.”
Alex Tang is a first-year at MIT and the current news editor of The Tech. The views expressed in this piece are his personal reflections and were not written in conjunction with the news department.