After Losing Both Legs, This Boston Marathon Victim is Running Again


It took nine months for double amputee Celeste Corcoran to go for a run, and it's one that she'll never forget.

Corcoran was one of only two victims of the Boston Marathon bombings whose injuries led to both legs being amputated. (The other was Jeff Bauman, the man who helped authorities correctly identify the Tsarnaev brothers as suspects.) Her daughter Sydney, 18, was also injured in the April 14, 2013 attack, and nearly died from blood loss after a femoral artery was severed by a piece of shrapnel.

The family was at the Marathon in support of Celeste's sister Carmen, who was competing in the race, and was right at the finish line when the bombs went off.

Corcoran went through months of rehabilitation, learning how to cope with losing both her legs. Her months-long struggle can be seen in this photo gallery from the Boston Globe, which begins with heartbreaking photos of Celeste and Sydney helpless on the ground right after the attack. Slowly, we see both mother and daughter recuperate and reclaim their lives.

Corcoran was eventually fitted with prosthetic devices to allow her to stand, walk and run again. "She was the first civilian to get this leg outside of military amputees," her son Tyler, 17, shared on Reddit.

At first, Corcoran needed physical therapists to help keep her upright while she ran, but this past week she was finally able to run on her own, an incredible triumph after everything she's been through.

"It's believing in yourself and not giving up and having that hope and taking help when it's offered, and not giving up with each small failure," Corcoran says of how she stayed motivated. "You can dig down deep and find that strength and that will."

Celeste has progressed in regaining her independence. She passed her drivers license test, and will now be legally allowed to drive a car with hand gears. "I'm not gonna give up," she says. "This is not the end. This is just a different beginning." If you'd like to contribute to Celeste and Sydney's recovery, head to their GoFundMe page.

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This Couple Finds a Happy Ending After the Boston Marathon Bombing
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This Amazing Performer Lost a Leg, But Kept on Dancing