The weekend before the Boston Marathon feels like a party, with runners, tourists and residents thronging to the blocks around the finish line to shop, snap selfies with their yellow race bibs and celebrate one of the city’s most joyous occasions.
But the crowds on Boylston Street fell silent at 2:49 p.m. Saturday, as the bell at the historic Old South Church rang to commemorate the moment when two bombs exploded on the street below during the 2013 marathon, killing three people, injuring more than 250 and stunning the city, the running community and the world.
Azadeh Smeltzer, 62, a Philadelphian who planned to run her fourth Boston Marathon and 136th marathon overall on Monday, was among those who paused to listen near a stone memorial to the victims, surrounded by tulips and daffodils.
“People went through such heartache here, amazing people, and they came together and recovered,” she said. “I wanted to be here this year to feel that, to be a part of it, and to give it back.”
Chirping birds and the hum of distant traffic were the only other sounds as the church bell tolled during a short, solemn ceremony in observance of the 10-year anniversary of the bombing. The finish line, a blue-and-yellow painted stripe across the pavement, was rededicated to those who died on April 15, 2013, and in the aftermath of the attack, with remarks narrated by Meb Keflezighi, who won the marathon in 2014.
“We dedicate the finish to Martin, Lingzi, Krystle, Sean and Dennis,” Keflezighi said. “We dedicate it to all those injured or affected; we dedicate it to the heroes among us; we dedicate it to the city of Boston; and we dedicate it to those who have still yet to cross it.”
Martin Richard, 8; Lingzi Lu, 23; and Krystle Campbell, 29, were killed by the two bombs near the finish line. Sean Collier, 27, an M.I.T. police officer, was later shot to death by the bombers; and the Boston police officer Dennis Simmonds, 28, died a year after being injured in a manhunt after the attack. One of the bombers, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was killed in a gun battle with the police; his brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was convicted in 2015 and sentenced to death for his role in the bombing.
The city celebrates One Boston Day each year on April 15, when residents gather for community service projects across many neighborhoods. On Saturday, events included blood drives, a park cleanup and a marathon sign-making party.
Mayor Michelle Wu of Boston, Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts attended the ceremony on Saturday, alongside survivors who are beloved symbols of the city’s resilience. Carlos Arredondo, a peace activist who was watching the race in 2013 and ran to help the wounded after the explosions, was present for the dedication. He wore his cowboy hat, just as he did on that fateful day. Also in attendance was the former Red Sox player David Ortiz, whose defiant speech after the bombing helped to fuel the Boston Strong movement.
The rare Boston celebrity who can render local residents star-struck, Ortiz, fondly known as Big Papi, drew cheers from the crowd, a flurry of cellphone photography and a few gasps of “He’s right there! I see him!”
Kacey Hill, 32, who lives outside the city and volunteers every year at the marathon, came to the finish line to pay her respects and reflect on the passing of time. “In some ways it feels like it couldn’t be 10 years, but so many things have happened, in my life, in the world,” she said. “It’s kind of surreal.”
Earlier in the day, she helped to hand out race bibs to runners, including Henry Richard, 21, the older brother of Martin, the 8-year-old Boston boy killed in the bombing.
“I didn’t know the right thing to say to him, and of course there is no right thing to say,” she said. “I said it was an honor, and I wished him luck.”
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