BOSTON (WHDH) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh says this year’s One Boston Day, marking the 7th anniversary of the marathon bombing, will be much different due to the coronavirus pandemic but that it’s still a time to reflect.
“This holiday has come to represent our city’s spirit, our values, and most of all our resilience,” Walsh said in a video posted to Twitter. “This year, One Boston Day will look a lot different.”
One Boston Day encourages people to commit random acts of kindness in memory of when the city and country responded to violence and hate on April 15, 2013, with selflessness and love.
The day usually consists of volunteering in honor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing victims, but Walsh is asking Bostonians to protect each other from COVID-19 by social distancing.
“Standing together by staying apart,” he said. “We’re encouraging people to take time for personal reflection, for spreading kindness, you know, calling somebody or Facetiming somebody.”
Some people will still be out making a difference, like Liz Norden and her two sons J.P. and Paul, who were injured in the bombing. They plan to donate 700 meals to healthcare workers in Boston.
Volunteers with Massachusetts Institute Technology police will also be donating meals to local hospitals in memory of Officer Sean Collier, who was shot and killed during the manhunt following the bombing.
The Martin Richard Foundation, created in honor of Martin Richard, who was killed in the bombing, is providing meals to healthcare workers on the overnight shift at the North Shore Medical Center in Salem.
Walsh says One Boston Day is coming at the right time for the city this year.
“Help us show what our city stands for and help us get through this difficult time together as one Boston unified forever,” he said.
At 2 p.m. Wednesday, there will be an online interfaith prayer service on the city’s website.
One Boston Day is a tradition to commemorate the tragic events surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon. This holiday has come to represent our city’s spirit, our values, and our resilience. pic.twitter.com/jBcF4oVSkV
— Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) April 14, 2020
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