The Neighborhood House Charter School has to bring in counselors for children who will never again see their 8-year-old classmate Martin Richard. The mother of Krystle Campbell, a 29-year-old restaurant manager, said it “doesn’t make any sense” that she is gone. And 27-year-old Jeff Bauman Jr. — the man in a widely distributed photo — had to have both lower limbs removed at Boston Medical Center because of extensive vascular and bone damage.
Personal portraits are emerging of those who were near the finish line at the Boston Marathon, a prized tradition that turned into a gruesome nightmare Monday when two makeshift bombs killed three, injured more than 170 and stunned Americans everywhere.
While officials marveled at the selfless acts of first responders, exhausted runners and Bostonians of all stripes, doctors were tasked with describing gruesome injuries that included broken bones, amputated limbs and head injuries.
“We’ve removed BBs and we’ve removed nails from kids. One of the sickest things for me was just to see nails sticking out of a little girl’s body,” said Dr. David Mooney, director of the trauma center at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Two children remained in critical condition at the hospital Tuesday afternoon with serious leg injuries. Dr. Mooney said that tourniquets applied by emergency responders at the race saved the children’s lives.
George Velmahos, a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital, said many patients gave thanks that they were alive, even if they awoke to discover they had lost limbs.
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“I’ve been really amazed by the resolve of our patients,” he said in a televised briefing. Some patients also suffered ruptured eardrums from the force of the blasts.
Television networks repeatedly showed pictures of smiling 8-year-old Martin Richard, of Dorchester, Mass., the first of three deceased victims to be identified. According to a Richard family spokesman, Martin’s father, Bill, did not run the marathon Monday despite reports that the boy was there to congratulate him. Mr. Richard’s wife and all three of the couple’s children were at the finish line at the time of the explosions. The second son was unharmed, but Martin’s sister and mother sustained serious injuries.
Ms. Campbell, an Arlington, Mass., resident who also died in the attack, was described on CNN by her family as “just a fun-loving girl and out there to help anybody and everybody.”
Late Tuesday, the Chinese Consulate in New York confirmed that a Chinese national, a graduate student at Boston University, was the third fatality. Her family asked that her name not be released.
On Facebook, Jeff Bauman Sr. said his son, who was at the race to watch his girlfriend run before losing both of his legs to the blast, is the man being wheeled away from the scene in an Associated Press photo that has become a symbol of the day’s horror and heroism.
President Obama labeled the bombing an “act of terror” Tuesday, shortly before investigators confirmed that the bombs consisted of two pressure cookers packed with metal fragments such as ball bearings and carpenter nails. Officials said they believe the bombs were hidden in heavy, black nylon bags and placed on Boylston Street, authorities said.
As details emerged, the person or group responsible remained a mystery.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick warned Bostonians that “everyone should expect a continued, heightened police presence” during the investigation.
Nationwide reaction to the tragedy ranged from sympathy and sadness to anger and defiance.
Students at Boston College took to social media to organize a run from the campus to Boston proper Friday for the more than 5,000 racers who did not get a chance to finish the marathon.
In several news briefings, Mayor Thomas Menino struck a positive note by praising those who rushed to help the wounded. He later announced the establishment of onefundboston.org, a simple website that allows visitors to donate money to those in need as a result of the bombings.
“This is a bad day for Boston, but I think if we pull together we’ll get through it,” said Mr. Menino, seated in a wheelchair as he was recovering from surgery over the weekend.
“Boston will survive,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat, added from the podium.
Mr. Obama will speak at an interfaith service in Boston on Thursday for the victims of the bombings. On Tuesday, he described the attack as a “heinous and cowardly act.”
“The American people refuse to be terrorized,” Mr. Obama said. “If you want to know who we are, what America is, how we respond to evil, that’s it selflessly, compassionately, unafraid.”
He said law enforcement will pursue every lead to find those responsible for the attack.
“We all have a part to play in alerting authorities if you see something suspicious. Speak up,” the president said.
• Dave Boyer contributed to this article, which is based in part on wire service reports.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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