Marathon Bombing Survivor Moving On A Year Later
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's been a tumultuous year for the survivors of last April's Boston Marathon bombings.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mary Blake reports
Moving On: Brittany Loring
Brittany Loring had been celebrating her 29th birthday last April 15th, and opted to head to the Marathon finish line."I heard a pop, and was thrown to the ground," she told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mary Blake.
Brittany had suffered a skull fracture, head lacerations and leg wounds. "It's been quite the year," she said. "There have been some reallly great things that have happened this year, and, obviously, some not so great things."
Among the great things, she got married, received her Business and Law degrees from Boston College, started a new job and has met a new group of friends. Those new friends are the people who helped her in the aftermath of the bombings.
Hafsa LaBreche of Waltham was one of Brittany's first responders. "I remember seeing her and seeing how badly she was hurt and thinking to myself, like, she needed help," LaBreche recalled.
Mike Sokolowski of Boston, who is running the Marathon this year, was near the finish line last year and also saw Brittany. "I go over and was like, you're going to be fine. We're gonna go to Exeter Street now," he remembered saying.
Sokolowski reunited with Brittany first, two weeks after the explosions. "Those two weeks were probably the most lost I've ever felt, and then seeing Brittany was definitely an emotional changer," he said.
LaBreche says her experience prompted a career change. "I decided that I was going to pursue my doctorate in clinical psychology, and I want to specialize in trauma," she declared. LaBreche is going back to watch the Marathon this year. "I don't have any fear," she said. She did admit, "I have a deep sadness."
Brittany Loring will be out of town. "I know that I think about that day every day, but everybody does deal with it in very different ways, and I have definitely learned that from our marathon family," she said.
Brittany adds that she will be there in spirit, cheering on Mike Sokolowski and the rest of this year's runners.
