Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesRunning for a reason.
Henry Richard had an emotional moment when he completed the 2022 Boston Marathon on April 18. He was participating in honor of his brother, Martin, who was killed in the Boston Marathon bombing nine years ago at age 8.
"It's great to get here finally," the 20-year-old told the local CBS news at the finish line on April 18. "It's been years in the making for me so I'm just so happy I could finally be here. I know Martin would have been doing it with me."
He continued, "I did it for both of us, and my sister and the rest of my family."
Henry ran the 26.2 mile race with Team MR8 to raise money for the Martin Richard Foundation, which promotes inclusion, kindness and peace in Martin's legacy. His parents and sister Jane were on hand to cheer him on as he crossed the finish line, something that "meant the world" to Henry.
The 2014 Boston Marathon winner, Meb Keflezighi, was also waiting at the finish line to give Henry his hard-earned medal. The Eritrean-born athlete ran the Boston Marathon for Team MR8 in 2018 after retiring from competitive racing.
"Martin is always on my mind," Meb told CBS. "For Henry to come in here, what a courage. What a courage, what a strength."
On April 15, 2013, while the Boston Marathon was still in progress, two homemade bombs were set off near the finish line. Three spectators were killed, including Martin, and more than 260 others were injured, many of them seriously, according to NBC News.
In 2015, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the perpetrators of the bombing, was found guilty of 30 federal offenses in connection with the attack and was sentenced to death. His brother Tamerlan died a few days after bombings in a gunfight with police.
Henry said he plans to run the marathon again in the future.
"I love this city and I couldn't be more grateful to them and everything they've done for me," Henry said. "No matter what happens, you've got to keep fighting, you'll get to where you want to go."