Recently Married Couple Seriously Hurt In Boston Marathon Bombings

BOSTON (AP) — A recently married couple is among the more than 170 people wounded in the Boston Marathon bombings.

They were married in Boston in August, a seemingly unlikely match who fell in love and shared a passion for running. On Monday, Patrick and Jessica Downes stood on the sidelines of the Boston Marathon, cheering on runners in a race Patrick had run before.

Both suffered serious leg injuries — each had a leg amputated below the knee, according to an email sent to friends — in one of the two explosions Monday afternoon that killed three and wounded dozens more.

According to the email, Patrick Downes had surgery Wednesday and is out of intensive care. Jessica was in surgery and the email says she may be in jeopardy of losing her remaining foot.

A website was set up to raise money that will go toward the couple's medical bills and related costs. The site received so many hits it crashed Wednesday. It describes two kind, selfless people who seemed like an unlikely match, but fell in love.

Jessica Downes is from California, attended John Hopkins University in Baltimore and is a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, the website says.

She is described as selfless and funny, but tough and confident.

Patrick Downes is Boston through and through, with an "accent that makes it impossible to tell if he's saying "parking" or "packing." He bawled when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004.

He graduated from Boston College and was "nicknamed 'Jesus' in high school for his goodness," the website says.

"She has the spirit of a lion, and combined with Patrick's good (the most good!) heart and interminable support for his wife," the website says, "I have no doubt in my mind that they will persevere through this horrific time and will soon enough lead happy, normal, fulfilling lives."

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.