A YEAR AGO TODAY, WE CHOSE TO RUN TOWARD SMOKE IN DANGER. WE CHOSE TO UTILIZE OUR BELTS AND PURSE STRAPS TO CREATE TOURNIQUETS. WE CHOSE TO HOLD THE INJURED IN OUR ARMS. WE CHOSE TO OFFER OUR HEARTS TO THOSE IN DESPAIR, AND OUR TREASURES TO THOSE IN NEED. WE CHOSE TO LOVE , AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, WE CONTINUED TO EXPRESS PROFOUND LOVE BY SEWING THE THREADS OF COMMUNITY. WE MADE OUR CITY SAFE AGAIN, DAVE BLOOD, PERFORMED AND UNDERWENT COUNTLESS SURGERIES, AND BEGAN THE LONG JOURNEY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL REHABILITATION. OUR HOSPITALS SHOWED WHY THEY ARE THE BEST OF THE WORLD, NOT ONLY THROUGH THEIR CLINICAL EXPERTISE, BUT BY THEIR IMRIS CAPACITY FOR COMPASSION. — ENORMOUS CAPACITY FOR COMPASSION. WHILE MANY OF US HERE STRUGGLED TO HEAL WITHIN THOSE HOSPITAL WALLS, A MOVEMENT COALESCED THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, STATE, AND COUNTRY. BOSTON STRONG, A SIMPLE PHRASE WITH A NOT SO SIMPLE MEANING, BECAME OUR UNITING CALL. IT SYMBOLIZES OUR COMMUNAL DETERMINATION TO SPREAD COMPASSION, GENEROSITY, UNITY, AND PRIDE. IT IS THE FIREFIGHTER RUNNING TOWARD DANGER, AND THE POLICE OFFICER ENSURING OUR SAFETY. BUT IT IS ALSO THE QUIET MOMENTS, INDIVIDUAL SNAPSHOTS OF GRACE. IT IS THE COUNTLESS HOURS OUR FAMILIES SPENT BY OUR BEDSIDE, SOMETIMES IN SILENCE, AS THEY OFFER THEIR LOVED BY OUR — EITHER PRESENCE ALONE. IT IS THEIR FELLOW SURVIVOR OFFERING HER HOSPITAL ROOM TO ALLOW A MARRIED COUPLE TO REUNITE. IT IS A PRIVATE VISIT FROM A WOUNDED WARRIOR, TELLING US AND SHOWING US THAT WE WILL GET BETTER. IT IS THE MOVERS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME TO HELP THE NEWLY DISABLED TRANSFER TO A NEW HOME. IT IS THE DEPARTMENT STORE EMPLOYEE SEARCHING FOR CLOSING — CLOTHING TO ACCOMMODATE MEDICAL DEVICES. IT IS THE PASSERBY WHO SEES A PROSTHETIC LEG AND NODS IN SOLIDARITY AND STRENGTH. IT IS THE RIBBONS PROUDLY DISPLAYED ON OUR CRUISERS, LADDER TRUCKS, BUSES, AND CARS. I’M IT IS CERTAINLY — AND IT IS CERTAINLY WHEN A BAND OF BEARDED BROTHERS RINGS HOME A CHAMPIONSHIP TO ITS BALLPARK AND FANS. [APPLAUSE] WE ALSO HAVE HEROES WITHIN OUR FAMILIES. A DEVOTED BROTHER WHO DROVE FOR HOURS ON THE DAY OF THE MARATHON WITH A CARING FRIEND TO BE BY HIS BROTHER’S SIDE AND SERVE AS HIS CHIEF OF STAFF. A LOVING SISTER WHO MOVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CARE FOR HER FAMILY. PARENTS STRICKEN WITH FEAR AND OVERWHELMING SADNESS, WHO FOUND A WAY TO SPEND DAY AFTER DAY IN HOSPITALS, WITH HOPES OF WILLING THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO HEALTH. EXTENDED FAMILY GIVING ALL THEY COULD TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO THEY LOVE. AT COUPLES, BOTH WEDDED ON WET — BOTH WED AND UNWED, WHO SAT THROUGH THE AGONY OF WATCHING SOMEONE YOU LOVE SUFFER, AND THE BEAUTY OF KNOWING YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH — NEVER HAS THAT VALVE FELT SO TANGIBLE. — THAT VOW FELT SO TANGIBLE. WE WOULD NEVER WISH THE PATENT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ON ANY OF YOU. BUT WE DO WISH THAT ALL OF YOU AT SOME POINT IN YOUR LIVES FEEL AS LOVED AS WE HAVE FELT OVER THIS LAST YEAR. IT HAS BEEN THE MOST HUMBLING EXPERIENCE OF OUR LIVES. WE HOPE YOU FEEL ALL THE EMOTION WE FEEL WHEN WE SAY THANK YOU. TO OUR FELLOW SURVIVOR COMMUNITY, WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT EACH OTHER? WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER MET THIS WAY, BUT WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR EACH OTHER. WE HAVE SHARED OUR DESPAIR, SENSE OF LOSS, AND CHALLENGES, AS WELL AS OUR HOPE, GRATITUDE, AND TRYOUTS. WE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR EACH OTHER, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE, TO PICK EACH OTHER UP AND CELEBRATE MILESTONES FOR YEARS TO COME. MOST OF ALL, WE WILL CHERISH THE FRIENDSHIPS OUR FAMILIES HAVE FORGED, BONDS OF MUTUAL ADMIRATION. AND TO THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THROUGH DESPAIR, ONGOING MEDICAL CARE, AT THE PROSPECT OF HEART-WRENCHING SURGICAL DECISIONS, DO NOT FORGET FOR A SECOND THAT WE WILL BE THERE FOR YOU AT A MOMENTS NOTICE. WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS . WHETHER WE RAISE THEM AS OUR CHILDREN, NEW THEM FOR YEARS, MET THEM ONCE, OR ONLY KNOW THEM IN SPIRIT, WE WILL CARRY THEM IN OUR HEARTS. TO THEIR FAMILIES, KNOW THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE ALONE, AND THAT THE CITY STANDS BESIDE YOU. WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED AS PIECES OF US. THE INTELLECTUAL CHARM OF LINGZH I. KRYSTLE’S INFECTIOUS SMILE. THE CHILDHOOD CHARM OF MARTIN. WE WILL THINK OF THEM AS FOREVER CONNECTED TO OUR COMMITMENT TO PEACE. PEACE — THAT WILL BE THEIR LASTING MESSAGE TO US. WE ALL KNOW WHEN HISTORIANS WRITE ABOUT THESE EVENTS, THEY WILL TELL OF THE UTTER DEVASTATION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP ON OUR FAMILIES, AND HOW FOUR GUARDIAN ANGELS CAME TO BE. BUT I ALSO HOPE THEY WILL TELL OF THE UNFAILING COMPASSION AND UNITY THAT ALLOWED. WE NO LONGER HAVE TO THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT WILL STOP — SPIRIT. IT IS RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WHETHER OUR FAMILIES HAD BEEN HERE FOR GENERATIONS OR RECENTLY CALLED BOSTON HOME, WE KNOW WE HAVE WRITTEN ANOTHER CHAPTER IN A RICH HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE, AND WE TAKE PRIDE IN KNOWING WE ARE PART OF SOMETHING MUCH LARGER THAN OURSELVES. IN THIS SPIRIT, WE CHOOSE THIS MARATHON MONDAY TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT OFTEN REPRESENTS, THROUGH OUR DEEDS AND DEDICATION. FOR THOSE OF US WHO WILL RIDE AND RUN, WE WILL DO SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US. FOR A FAMILY MEMBER WITH CANCER, FOR OUR GREAT CITY, AND FOR COUNTLESS OTHER CAUSES. FOR THOSE OF US WHO WILL CROWD THE ROUTE, WHO WILL EMBRACE AS MOTIVATORS AND EMOTIONAL CATALYSTS. FOR OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS, LET THEM HEAR US WAR. LET’S SHOW THEM THEY LIVE ON IN OUR BONDS OF FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP AND COMMUNITY. AND IN THE INFECTIOUS SPIRIT WE WILL FEEL ON THE THIRD MONDAY IN APRIL FOR YEARS TO COME. I AM SO PROUD TO BE A BOSTONIAN.
