Boston Marathoner Dave Fortier

June 20, 2013 8:05 am

This month’s Runner’s World is almost entirely dedicated to stories of Runners who were passing the site of the bomb on that dreadful April day in Boston.

A week after the bomb went off I was asked by photo director Michele Ervin to head to Boston to photograph Dave Fortier. Dave was close to the finish line, only yards away from the first bomb.

“I was just starting to shift from the left side of the road to the right. I’m not positive why. Maybe the folks in front of me were moving slower. I was 10 feet behind the older gentleman who fell to the ground. It was just off to my left. My left hand came up to my ear. It felt like someone slapped me upside my head with a whole lot of force. At the same time something happened to my foot. I remember taking a step forward. My right leg got kicked out. A piece of bomb had hit my foot. My foot was cut open. I got pushed sideways. At this time in the race I was so tired I could’ve tripped over a feather. I could see so many folks in yellow rushing in. I remember thinking—I knew instantly it was a bomb of some kind. I had this feeling of, You have to be kidding me. This can’t be happening to these people and on this day.”

Dave and I spoke by email last week and he said that he’s doing much better, his foot has healed well – but unfortunately the hearing damage is indeed permanent. “But if that’s the only thing I’m left with, then I’m lucky to escape with only that,” he says.