20-year-old who lost brother to Boston Marathon bombing runs and finishes race for him

The Boston Marathon witnessed an emotionally charged moment as Henry Richard completed the race honoring his brother, who was killed in the 2013 Boston Marathon bomb blasts. Henry Richard was just 10 years old when he lost his brother, Martin Richard, and his younger sister, Jane, lost a leg in the bomb blasts. Two terrorists had detonated bombs by the finish line of the Boston Marathon and the tragedy shocked the nation at the time. Martin Richard was one of the three people killed in the attack. “I’m just so glad I could finally be here,” said Henry Richard, reported New York Post. “So much emotion. I know Martin would have been doing it with me… I did it for both of us.”

Richard, who's enrolled at Pace University in New York, completed his first full marathon. “So many people were out there for me. All my friends, my family,” said Henry Richard, 20. “Motivation was the least of my worries. There were so many people there to support me. It was wonderful and I couldn’t believe it.” Henry had the names of his siblings emblazoned on his yellow jersey as a tribute. He also paused at a memorial along the route to honor those who lost their lives in the attack, including his brother. The 20-year-old completed the 26.2-mile race as his younger sister Jane, and his parents, Bill and Denise Richard, waited for him at the finish line. Henry ran as part of  Team MR8 to raise money for the Martin Richard Foundation which promotes inclusion, kindness and peace in Martin’s legacy. 

“It meant the world to me that they were here waiting,” said Henry recalling the moment he completed the race and hugged them. The family also observed a moment of silence before the start of the marathon. Henry Richard dedicated his grueling run to his brother and said it felt great to finally do the marathon. "It’s been years in the making for me so I’m just so happy I could finally be here,” said Henry, reported CBS Local Boston. “I know Martin would have been doing it with me — so happy to finish it, that’s all I can think about. I did it for both of us, and my sister and the rest of my family,” he continued.

Meb Keflezighi, the winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon, was present at the emotional moment and gave his medal to Henry. “Martin is always on my mind,” said Keflezighi. “For Henry to come in here, what a courage. What a courage, what a strength.” Henry wants to do the Boston Marathon again and he also loves the city. “I love this city and I couldn’t be more grateful to them and everything they’ve done for me,” said Henry. Keflezighi ran the Boston Marathon for Team MR8 in 2018 after retiring from competitive racing. “Martin is always on my mind,” Keflezighi said. “For Henry to come in here, what a courage. What a courage, what a strength.”  Chinese exchange student Lingzi Lu, 23, and restaurant manager Krystle Campbell, 29, were the other two victims.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev recently came under heavy criticism for spending money meant for victims. Part of his penalties included a $3,000 special assessment and $101,126,627 in criminal restitution, reported The Guardian. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev spent $2,000 on gifts, books and support for his siblings instead of making payments he owes to his scores of victims, said prosecutors charged in a court filing. Boston Marathon bombing victims are split on death penalty for Tsarnaev, reported Reuters. Martin's parents themselves are against death penalty and published an open letter in 2015 in the Boston Globe newspaper urging prosecutors to not pursue the death penalty, saying it would prompt years of appeals and "prolong reliving the most painful day of our lives."