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BOSTON (AP) — Messages of resilience, solidarity, hope and love are embodied at the memorial exhibit commemorating the anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.
The Boston Public Library is hosting this monthlong exhibit called "Dear Boston: Messages from the Marathon Memorial" to offer a place to heal and remind everyone of the city's strength, Mayor Martin Walsh said at Monday's opening ceremony.
The artifacts include 150 pairs of running sneakers, heartfelt messages, running bib numbers and "Boston Strong" memorabilia. They were curated from the memorial that piled up in Copley Square during the days and weeks after the April 15 attack, which killed three people and injured more than 260.
"One year ago our hearts and our city were shattered — lives, limbs, loved ones all lost in a span of 10 seconds," U.S. Senator Edward Markey said. "This memorial shows that we take the shattered shards of the past and patch together a new, stronger future."
Visitors are encouraged to drape their own personal messages of hope on a tree as they exit the memorial.
The exhibit is the first of many that will honor those affected by the bombings.
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