Boston has always been a great city. People who live here are proud to live here and after the last year, we are prouder than ever. I was not in the city on this day last year when everything happened. Like everyone else though, I knew people who were. We all made frantic phone calls and sent texts to anyone we could think of who might be near there. We waited to hear back and make sure everyone was safe. We watched the same news footage over and over and over. There was fear and confusion and shock. For me, it was mostly disbelief. Here? This really happened here? It is still just as crazy and incomprehensible a year later.

The lives lost are nothing short of a tragedy and nothing can repair that loss and the damage this has caused those families. What I do know though is this; whatever intention those cowards had in executing these heinous acts, it didn’t work. Yes, there was fear and chaos in those initial moments, but it didn’t last. The terrorists didn’t win, and they never will win. The amount of awe-inspiring stories I have seen and heard about that day in the weeks and months and now year that followed show anything but fear and chaos. Police officers, civilians, runners – people who just finished a MARATHON literally seeing an explosion occur and not running away from it but running toward it. Countless people, without even a moment of hesitation simply saw people in need and went to help. If that doesn’t give you faith and hope in humanity, I don’t know what will. It is a sad and unfortunate truth that evil exists in this world. However, there is far more good than evil and we all saw that this last year.

We will always remember and honor those who were taken from us and those who were wounded in last year’s attack. However, I hope what this city will truly never forget is THIS year’s marathon and the year that has lead up to it. The courage, the heart, and the strength of this city are what should be remembered. The angels that are no longer with us have inspired the masses. The perseverance of the survivors have instilled so much faith. Come next Monday the world will be reminded once again of what Boston represents, and a day that has always meant so much to so many people, will now mean even more from that day forward.

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