04/15/2026
TODAY IN HISTORY
On April 15, 2013, the tragic Boston Marathon bombing forever changed a city and touched the hearts of people around the world.
What began as a celebration of resilience, unity, and human achievement was shaken by senseless violence.
At 2:49pm two bombs detonated about 210 yards apart at the finish line on Boylston Street near Copley Square. The first exploded outside Marathon Sports at 2:49:43 pm. At the time of the first explosion, the race clock at the finish line showed 04:09:43, – the elapsed time since the Wave 3 start at 10:40am. The second bomb exploded at 2:49:57 pm, about 14 seconds later and one block farther.The explosions took place nearly three hours after the winning runner crossed the finish line, but with more than 5,700 runners yet to finish.
3 innocent people were murdered in the explosion at the marathon -- Krystle Campbell, 29, Martin Richard, 8, and Lu Lingzi, 23. Hundreds of others were injured and even more impacted, including 16 who lost limbs. Sean Collier, 26, an MIT campus police officer, was fatally shot by the Tsarnaev brothers in his patrol car two days after the bombings.
Yet in the face of terror, courage prevailed. First responders, medical professionals, volunteers, and ordinary citizens ran toward danger, embodying compassion and strength. From unimaginable darkness emerged an enduring symbol of resilience and unity.
We honor the victims. We stand with the survivors. We remember the heroes.
Boston Strong. From strength to strength. 🕊️