Boston Marathon

“I know Martin would’ve been doing it with me”: Henry Richard, older brother of 8-year-old lost in bombing, finishes the Boston Marathon

Richard stopped at the Marathon memorial before completing, and gave his family a tearful hug after he crossed the finishing line.

By Gwen Egan

April 18, 2022

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Eight-year-old Martin Richard was tragically lost in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. In 2022, his older brother Henry finished the 126th Boston Marathon with his arms raised high.

Henry Richard was 10 years old when his brother was killed and his sister Jane lost her left leg in the bombing. His father, Bill, told WBZ that Martin was watching over Henry as he ran.

“I did it for both of us, and my sister, and the rest of my family…I love this city…This is Boston Strong.” Henry said in an interview with WBZ.

Martin would have turned 18 this June.

The Martin Richard Foundation, a non-profit started to “advance the values of inclusion, kindness, justice and peace” in Martin’s name, posted an image of Henry in his yellow jersey for the charity’s team.

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A post shared by Martin Richard Foundation (@team_mr8)

The foundation was started after an image of Martin holding up a homemade sign that read “No More Hurting People, Peace” went viral following the bombing.

In years that followed Time Magazine wrote a feature on the words, illustrations were made in Martin’s likeness, and banners were put up outside homes in commemorate his wise words.

NBC10 Boston anchor Susan Tran tweeted an image of a banner in Dorchester made in 2016 with Martin’s words sprawled across it.

As Henry closed in on the finish line of the 126th Boston Marathon, he stopped. Media outlets, camera crews, and his family watched as he spent several minutes catching his breath in front of the marathon memorial, before continuing on to finish his first Boston Marathon strong. Boston Strong.