Long Mile Home: Boston Under Attack, the City's Courageous Recovery, and the Epic Hunt for Justice

by Helman, Scott

  Our sincere thanks, also, to: Shane O’Hara, Allison Byrne, Alain Ferry, Brighid Wall, Pat Foley, Sean O’Brien, Danny, Michael Lawn, Timothy Getchell, Sean McLaughlin, Bryan Conway, Susan Kane, Edward Davis, Thomas Menino, Deval Patrick, Nick Cox, Mike Powell, Rich Correale, David and Beth Henneberry, Kevin Brown, Jim Davis, Carlos Arredondo, Jason Geremia, Anne King, Rekha Drew, Alma Bocaletti, Scott Grigelevich, Greg Comcowich, Ann Todd, Brian Fleming, Bob Leonard, Patrick Menton, Jimmy Caruso, Frederick Lorenz, Dennis Keeley, Daniel Conley, Daniel Linskey, William Evans, Timothy Alben, Edward Deveau, Raymond Dupuis, John DiFava, Jeff Campbell, Saro Thompson, Kenneth Tran, Brian Harer, Vicma Lamarche, Michelle Hall, and Amy Formica. Special thanks as well to Tom Grilk, Jack Fleming, and their team at the Boston Athletic Association.

  Finally, we are indebted to our families for the unconditional support that has been essential to this project and all of our work. To Jessica, Jonas, and Eli, and to Kevin, Cadence, and Poesy: our boundless gratitude and all our love.

  Notes

  What you see first: Descriptions of the Boston Marathon are based in part on interviews by Scott Helman in 2013 of runners Vicma Lamarche, Alain Ferry, Michelle Hall, Christine Mitchell, Tom Mitchell, Nicole McGurin, Joann Kwah, Eduardo Kelly, and Amy Formica.

  “Running is an affirmative act”: Caleb Daniloff, “I’m a Runner,” Runner’s World, July 2013, 136.

  The race, begun in 1897: Christopher L. Gasper, “Soggy conditions didn’t dampen spirits,” Boston Globe, April 17, 2007; Nancy L. Marrapese, “Morse is Boston’s man behind the scenes,” Boston Globe, April 15, 1990; John Powers, “Everything came up Rosie, until . . . ,” Boston Globe, April 14, 1989; e-mail from Boston Athletic Association official Jack Fleming, August 2013.

  It was spring: Descriptions of Heather Abbott based on interviews of Abbott and Jason Geremia by Jenna Russell in 2013.

  There was nothing like: Descriptions of David King based on interviews of King by Jenna Russell in 2013, and with Anne King in September 2013.

  She was a Boston girl: Descriptions of Krystle Campbell are based largely on interviews in 2013, by Scott Helman, of Billy Campbell Jr., Tim Getchell, Sean McLaughlin, Bryan Conway, Al Dugan, Susan Kane, Laurie Cormier, Jane Tuite, Robert Tarutis, Nelida Lepore, Tony Szykniej, Robin Gomolin, and David Nieto; and a memorial event held at Spectacle Island on September 24, 2013.

  This year’s marathon: Descriptions of Dave McGillivray are based largely on interviews in 2013, by Scott Helman, of Dave McGillivray, Susan West, Bob McGillivray, Josh Nemzer, Ron Kramer, and Tom Grilk; a speech McGillivray delivered to a corporate conference in Boston, October 10, 2013; and the following book: David J. McGillivray with Linda Glass Fechter, The Last Pick: The Boston Marathon Race Director’s Road to Success (Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale, 2006).

  She was in the best shape: Descriptions of Shana Cottone based on interviews of Cottone by Jenna Russell in 2013.

  The voice had begun speaking: This chapter is adapted from “The Fall of the House of Tsarnaev,” a lengthy Boston Globe investigation of the Tsarnaev family by Sally Jacobs, David Filipov, and Patricia Wen published December 15, 2013. The investigation contained extensive new and exclusive reporting on the Tsarnaev brothers. Additional reporting contributed by Jacobs, Filipov, and Wen.

  A few months later: Andrew Tangel and Ashley Powers, “FBI: Boston suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev followed ‘radical Islam,’” Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2013.

  One of the few cracks: Janet Reitman, “Jahar’s World,” Rolling Stone, July 17, 2013, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/jahars-world-20130717.

  “all-out war against Islam”: Muhammad Hussain, “Dimensions of Multiculturalism: Killings, Bombings and Free Speech,” Veterans Today, May 27, 2013, http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/05/27/dimensions-of-multiculturalism-killings-bombings-and-free-speech.

  Tamerlan’s apparent radicalization: Eric Schmitt and Michael S. Schmidt, “2 U.S. Agencies Added Boston Bomb Suspect to Watch Lists,” New York Times, April 24, 2013.

  “A decade in America already”: Reitman, “Jahar’s World.”

  ready to accept him anyway: Michael Wines and Ian Lovett, “The Dark Side, Carefully Masked,” New York Times, May 5, 2013.

  One day in early 2013: Wines and Lovett, “The Dark Side.”

  Tamerlan drove up to Phantom Fireworks: Federal indictment of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, June 27, 2013.

  “If you have the knowledge”: Reitman, “Jahar’s World.”

  One of her relatives asked: Marc Fisher, “The Tsarnaev family: A faded portrait of an immigrant’s American dream,” Washington Post, April 27, 2013.

  The volume on his alarm: King interviews.

  Obama had paid: Jay Carney, “President Obama and Vice President Biden’s 2012 Tax Returns,” The White House Blog, April 12, 2013, http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/12/president-obama-and-vice-president-biden-2012-tax-returns.

  Dave McGillivray rose alone: McGillivray interviews.

  The roots of the Boston Marathon: Boston Athletic Association, 2013 Boston Marathon Media Guide, 80; John Hanc, The B.A.A. at 125: The Official History of the Boston Athletic Association, 1887–2012 (New York: Sports Publishing, 2012), 40.

  New Yorker John J. McDermott: Boston Athletic Association, The Race Through History, 1996, 1–10.

  Bill Kennedy, a New York bricklayer: Caleb Daniloff, Running Ransom Road: Confronting the Past, One Marathon at a Time (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012), 18–19.

  Johnny “the Elder” Kelley: Boston Athletic Association, The Race Through History.

  After World War II: Boston Athletic Association, 2013 Boston Marathon Media Guide, 36.

  The race’s popularity grew: Bob Hohler and Shira Springer, “Marathon qualifying is revised,” Boston Globe, February 17, 2011.

  “When you ran Boston”: Amby Burfoot, “Just Imagine,” Runner’s World, July 2013, 118.

  In the first four miles: Michael Connelly, 26 Miles to Boston (Hyannis, MA: Parnassus Imprints, 1998), 34.

  “who aren’t necessarily world-class”: Connelly, 35.

  where a local Dixieland band: Tom Derderian, The Boston Marathon: A Century of Blood, Sweat and Cheers (Plymouth: John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, 1996, 2003), 26.

  “Hey, you slug, the race is over”: McGillivray and Fechter, The Last Pick: The Boston Marathon Race Director’s Road to Success, 39–40.

  Shana Cottone reported to roll call: Cottone interviews.

  It was barely light outside: Abbott and Geremia interviews.

  It pained Menino to miss out: Interviews of Thomas Menino by Jenna Russell, August and October 2013.

  Deval Patrick never had days like this: Interviews of Deval Patrick by Andrea Estes and Shelley Murphy of the Globe staff, April 2013, and by Scott Helman, July 2013.

  William Evans finished his eighteenth Boston Marathon: Nick Weldon, “One Hell of a Week,” Runner’s World, July 2013, 112; Sean Flynn, “The Finish Line,” GQ, June 2013, http://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/201307/boston-marathon-attack-july-2013.

  Edward Davis left the marathon for home: Interview of Edward Davis by Andrea Estes and Shelley Murphy, April 2013.

  Krystle Campbell got a text message: Interview of Liz Jenkins and John Colombo by Scott Helman, September 2013; Eric Moskowitz, “The Marathon wounded: Karen Rand,” Boston Globe, May 19, 2013.

  Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev were captured: Remarks of Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers at Press Conference on Boston Bombing Investigation, April 18, 2013, http://www.fbi.gov/boston/press-releases/2013/remarks-of-special-agent-in-charge-richard-deslauriers-at-press-conference-on-bombing-investigation-1.

  Firefighter Sean O’Brien was working: Interview of Sean O’Brien by Jenna Russell, July 2013.

  Pat Foley, another firefighter, reminded himself: Interviews of Pat Foley by Jenna Russell, April and
July 2013.

  Frederick Lorenz, a Boston fire lieutenant: Interview of Dennis Keeley and Frederick Lorenz by Andrea Estes, April 2013.

  Brighid and Brendan Wall had miscalculated: Interviews of Brighid Wall by Jenna Russell, April and July 2013.

  another family was waiting, too: Interview of Stephen Lynch by Jenna Russell, April 2013.

  Lingzi Lu was one of them: Evan Allen, “Student’s life ends in the city that she had grown to love,” Boston Globe, April 18, 2013; Leslie Friday, “Lu Lingzi, Roommate Were Like Sisters,” BU Today, April 23, 2013.

  Alma Bocaletti was still running: Interview of Alma Bocaletti and Rekha Drew by Scott Helman, October 2013.

  Tamerlan Tsarnaev continued walking: Interviews with law enforcement officials, 2013; federal indictment of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, June 27, 2013; Kathleen Ronayne, “Jeff Bauman shares Boston Marathon story, encounter with suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev,” Concord Monitor, May 6, 2013.

  “God protect us”: Interview of Carlos Arredondo by Jenna Russell, April 2013; David A. Fahrenthold, “Boston Marathon bystander Carlos Arredondo says he acted instinctively,” Washington Post, April 16, 2013.

  Bill Iffrig: John Brant, “Back on His Feet,” Runner’s World, July 2013, 96.

  Perched near the finish line: Interview of Vicma Lamarche by Scott Helman, June 2013.

  Inside Marathon Sports: Interviews of Shane O’Hara by Scott Helman, 2013.

  It was there: David Abel, “Runners and spectators raced to save lives,” Boston Globe, April 17, 2013; David Abel, “Amid shock at Marathon, a rush to help strangers,” Boston Globe, April 16, 2013; interview of David Abel by Scott Helman, September 2013; Elizabeth Cohen, “Nurses relied on trauma experience,” CNN, April 16, 2013.

  That’s not a cannon: O’Brien interviews.

  The first explosion had rippled: Geremia interviews.

  Brighid Wall threw her six-year-old son: Wall interviews.

  Searching in the smoke: Sam Trapani, “Heroes among us,” Danvers Herald, April 25, 2013, www.wickedlocal.com/danvers/news/x1853931027/Heroes-among-us?zc_p=0; interview of Matt Patterson by Jenna Russell, December 2013.

  Allison Byrne was so eager: Interviews of Allison Byrne by Scott Helman, 2013; e-mails from Nancy Shorter to author, November 2013.

  After he heard the deafening explosions: Sushrut Jangi, “Under the Medical Tent at the Boston Marathon,” New England Journal of Medicine, May 23, 2013.

  Heather Abbott lay on the floor: Abbott interviews.

  Shana Cottone reached for her gun: Cottone interviews.

  Firefighters tried to revive her: Chris Doucette, “Boston firefighter in midst of bloody carnage,” Toronto Sun, April 18, 2013; O’Brien and Foley interviews.

  Standing where the second bomb: Keeley and Lorenz interviews.

  “Gimme the belt”: Foley interviews; Sam Gardner, “Boston Marathon victims form bond,” FOX Sports, July 4, 2013.

  83-A van pulled up beside them: Keeley and Lorenz interviews; Jessica Heslam, “Desperate ride bonds survivors,” Boston Herald, November 14, 2013.

  In the alley between Boylston and Newbury: Abbott and Geremia interviews.

  Shana Cottone leaned all the way: Cottone and Foley interviews.

  They were coming for Heather: Abbott and Geremia interviews.

  The two firefighters had run: Foley interviews.

  Ed Davis couldn’t believe: Davis interviews.

  he had barely hung up: Interviews of Davis and Daniel Linskey by Andrea Estes and Shelley Murphy, April 2013.

  Alben had been at the starting line: Interview of Timothy Alben by Shelley Murphy, April 2013.

  Davis felt fairly certain: Davis interviews.

  Communication failures amplified: Michael B. Farrell, “Cellphone networks overwhelmed after blasts,” Boston Globe, April 17, 2013.

  Two runners of South Asian descent: Interview of Michelle Hall by Scott Helman, June 2013.

  They blew up at least one bag: O’Brien, Foley, and Keeley interviews.

  One of Davis’s immediate tasks: Farragher, Russell, and Globe staff, “102 hours in pursuit of Marathon suspects,” Boston Globe, April 28, 2013.

  Katherine Patrick had only been: Patrick interviews.

  Hadn’t one caught fire: Brian MacQuarrie and Brian R. Ballou, “Nearly all are out of dark,” Boston Globe, March 16, 2012.

  “I was really resistant”: Interview of Peter Sagal by Scott Helman, July 2013.

  The governor knew: Patrick interviews.

  Patrick also conferred: Patrick interviews; Scott LaPierre, “Press conference about Boston Marathon explosions,” Boston Globe, April 15, 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeTQRJL537E.

  His doctors had tried to stop him: Menino interviews.

  Dave McGillivray had changed: Interviews of McGillivray and Ron Kramer by Scott Helman, July, August, and September 2013.

  After a few hours: Farragher, Russell, and Globe staff, “102 hours”; interviews with law enforcement officials, 2013.

  It was the largest crime scene: Farragher, Russell, and Globe staff, “102 hours”; Maria Sacchetti, Michael Bello, Kay Lazar, and Andrew Ryan, “Investigators scour the area for any clues,” Boston Globe, April 17, 2013.

  President Obama addressed the nation: “Obama vows to find who’s behind Boston blasts,” Associated Press, April 15, 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBeaamkBGk4.

  The prospect of a bombing: Brian Castner, “The Exclusive Inside Story of the Boston Bomb Squad’s Defining Day,” Wired, October 25, 2013, http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/10/boston-police-bomb-squad/all/; Alben interview; interview with BAA executive director Tom Grilk, September 2013.

  diplomatically sensitive operations: Massimo Calabresi, “Richard DesLauriers: The Special Agent in Charge,” Time, April 17, 2013, http://swampland.time.com/2013/04/17/richard-deslauriers-the-special-agent-in-charge/.

  Governor Patrick would later describe: Patrick interviews.

  One of the first people: Amina Chaudary, “What Really Happened? The Bomb, the FBI and the Media,” The Islamic Monthly, May 21, 2013; “Exclusive Interview: Boston Marathon ‘Saudi Man’ transcript,” The Islamic Monthly, May 21, 2013, http://www.theislamicmonthly.com/exclusive-interview-saudi-man-transcript.

  As darkness fell on Monday: Cottone interviews.

  Karen Rand had arrived: Liz Kowalczyk, “Hospitals size up the lessons of Marathon attacks,” Boston Globe, July 28, 2013; Stephen Rex Brown, “Boston Marathon victim’s dad was told daughter was only injured, then he found out she’d been misidentified and had been killed in the blast,” New York Daily News, April 16, 2013.

  “That’s not my daughter!”: Brown, “Boston Marathon victim’s dad.”

  Back on Boylston Street: Sally Jacobs, “Hardest-hit family conveys thanks and cautious hope,” Boston Globe, May 10, 2013.

  These were the bags: Interviews of McGillivray, and Boston Marathon officials Rich Havens and Matt Carpenter by Scott Helman, 2013.

  Heather Abbott opened her eyes: Abbott interviews.

  most critically injured patients had been “red-tagged”: Dr. Paul D. Biddinger et al, “Be Prepared—The Boston Marathon and Mass-Casualty Events,” New England Journal of Medicine, May 23, 2013, http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1305480.

  the first patient from the finish line: Liz Kowalczyk, “Hospitals size up the lessons of Marathon attacks,” Boston Globe, July 28, 2013.

  Mass General took in thirty-one: Biddinger et al, “Be Prepared.”

  It made for a nightmarish scene: Byrne interviews.

  “What we like to do”: Gina Kolata, Jere Longman, and Mary Pilon, “Doctors Saved Lives, if Not Legs, in Boston,” New York Times, April 16, 2013.

  The array of other injuries: Marathon patient timelines provided by Boston hospitals to Globe reporter Liz Kowalczyk, June 2013.
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br />   there were inevitable inconsistencies: Byrne interviews.

  The underpinnings of Boston’s medical infrastructure: “Harvard Medical School: The Early Years,” Harvard University, http://hms.harvard.edu/about-hms/history-hms/early-years; “John Collins Warren Papers: Guide to the Collection,” Massachusetts Historical Society, http://www.masshist.org/findingaids/doc.cfm?fa=fa0183; Walter C. Guralnick, DMD, and Leonard B. Kaban, DMD, MD, “Keeping Ether in Vogue,” Massachusetts General Hospital, 2010.

  largely due to recent training: Bissinger et al, “Be Prepared”; Atul Gawande, “Why Boston’s Hospitals Were Ready,” New Yorker, April 17, 2013, http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/04/why-bostons-hospitals-were-ready.html.

  Three miles away: King interviews.

  75 percent of injuries: Gawande, “Why Boston’s Hospitals Were Ready.”

  An online campaign for Jeff Bauman: Jennifer Preston and Christine Hauser, “Victims in Boston Marathon Bombings Turn To Crowdfunding for Support,” New York Times, May 6, 2013.

  Patrick spent time: Patrick interviews; The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, MSBNC, April 18, 2013.

  Patrick arrived at the emergency department: Interview of Erin McDonough by Scott Helman, September 2013; Patrick interviews.

  Heather’s close friend Jason Geremia: Geremia interviews.

  the wait for information Monday night: Interview of Rosemary Abbott by Jenna Russell, September 2013.

  Even with his legs gone: Kathleen Ronayne, “Jeff Bauman shares Boston Marathon story, encounter with suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev,” Concord Monitor, May 6, 2013.

  Patty Campbell summoned all her strength: Bryan Marquard, “Krystle Campbell remembered as ever reliable,” Boston Globe, April 16, 2013; “Mother of marathon attack victim speaks,” CNN, April 16, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUtRmZvmhe8.

  Two blocks east of the finish line: Carpenter and McGillivray interviews.

  race officials did their best: Ibid.; Christine Fennessy, editor, “4.15.13: An oral history of the 117th Boston Marathon,” Runner’s World, July 2013, 90.

  marathon officials took the medals: Neil Swidey, “Restart: The future of the Marathon,” Boston Globe Magazine, May 10, 2013; Carpenter interview.