Community Mourns 8-Year-Old Boy Killed In Boston Marathon Bombings
BOSTON (CBSNewYork) -- The little boy who was killed in the Boston Marathon explosions was being remembered Tuesday as a child who loved to run and climb.
"They're your All-American family -- three kids, mother, father," said neighbor Jane Sherman. "They used to play outside all the time -- just a horrendous tragedy."
As CBS 2's Jessica Schneider reported, Martin Richard, 8, was remembered Tuesday night at a massive candlelight vigil in Dorchester, Mass.
Martin was with his family near the finish line and cheering on friends who were running in the Boston Marathon when the bombs went off Monday afternoon.
Martin was killed. His 5-year-old sister lost her leg and his mother suffered a brain injury.
A doctor who treated Martin at the scene described a gruesome sight to her husband.
"She thought he was African-American, just because of all the soot and all the debris and stuff that was around -- she didn't know. She was working on him, and then she didn't recognize him until she saw the pictures this morning," said Matt Mills, husband of Dr. Kim Mills.
Martin's father, William, was not injured. He issued the following statement Tuesday:
"My dear son Martin has died from injuries sustained in the attack on Boston. My wife and daughter are both recovering from serious injuries. We thank our family and friends, those we know and those we have never met, for their thoughts and prayers. I ask that you continue to pray for my family as we remember Martin. We also ask for your patience and for privacy as we work to simultaneously grieve and recover. Thank you."
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Friends of all ages shed tears over Martin's death, and held a candle in his memory Tuesday night.
"It's very nice we're all coming together like this but it's terrible that any of this had to happen," said Marin Bailey, 12, who attended summer camp with Martin.
"My friends introduced him, and he was just adorable, and it was really nice to talk to him," she continued.
The night of prayer was exactly how this Dorchester community came together to ease its grief.
"Just trying to stick together, support them as much as we can," said family friend Sabrina Sawyer. "It's a big turnout tonight but I'm really glad we're here. Whatever they need we just want to help them with it."
"They'll get through it, but do I need to say it? No words can express how to get through it," added family friend Barbara Croke. "You know, it's your faith. It's a terrible thing."
Family friends Tuesday were raising money to help the Richards with their medical bills and funeral expenses.
The Neighborhood House Charter School, where Martin was a student, released a statement, which said in part: "He was a bright, energetic young boy who had big dreams and high hopes for his future. We are heartbroken by this loss."
Martin was among three people killed in the explosions.
Also killed was 29-year-old Krystle Campbell of Arlington, CBS 2 has learned.
William Campbell said his daughter was "very caring, very loving person, and was daddy's little girl" and that the loss has devastated the family, the Associated Press reported.
The third victim was a graduate student from Boston University, but has not been identified, university officials said.
The victim was also a Chinese national, and a woman, according to the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China. The consulate also declined to identify the victim.
At least 176 people were injured in the blasts; 17 remain in critical condition, officials said.
Aid stations that were in place for the race turned into triage centers, and many victims were stabilized before being taken to the hospital.
Adrienne Wald was volunteering with 30 of her nursing students.
"They saw some, horrific, really awful injuries that we weren't prepared for at a marathon. You're looking for certain kinds of injuries. You're not expecting to see a bomb explode," Dr. Wald said.
Doctors treating the wounded at Massachusetts General Hospital said they have performed four amputations.
"Almost all of them had such severe trauma in their lower extremity it was beyond salvation so I would consider them almost automatic amputees, we just completed what the bomb had done," Dr. George Velmahos said.
Doctors Massachusetts General Hospital and other facilities said they removed metal fragments from victims of the bombs as well as BB pellets and nails.
