On Monday, two bombs made with pressure cookers and filled with metal shrapnel were detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The explosions caused three fatalities, injured 175 people and put 17 of those injured in critical condition, according to The Boston Globe.

These attacks happened in one of the United States’ oldest cities on Patriots’ Day.

I grew up around Boston and can remember Patriots’ Day. As someone who has stood on the marathon’s sidelines, I can say that Patriots’ Day is celebrated with pride and a sense of invincibility that comes with watching athletes finish the race.

Boston is the kind of city that tells a story.  Not only does it tell the story of those who have lived there throughout the years, but it tells the story of the origins of our country. The people who live there know that, and take pride in the city’s past, present and future.

The city itself is proud of what it has seen. Anyone can still walk to the Old North Church and see the steeple where Paul Revere held his lantern. Anyone can walk by Boston Harbor, the very place the famous Boston Tea Party occurred.

Boston belongs not just to Bostonians – any United States citizen can claim a connection to the beloved city.  

There have been varying reactions to the bombings. President Barack Obama used the word “heinous” to describe the attacks, but no matter how you describe it, everyone in America should unite in solidarity for Boston.

I think everyone can come together over the heroism that has come from the tragedy.

According to NBC News, runners and spectators who were not hurt gave blood at area hospitals to help the injured. Surgeons ran to help with the first responders. The first responders ran toward the explosions and into the smoke when everyone else was running away. There are pictures of people using the shirts off their backs as bandages, and others helping transport the injured to safety.

The New York Yankees, the rival team of the Boston Red Sox, paid tribute to Boston by playing  “Sweet Caroline” at Yankee Stadium and held a moment of silence.

Any Red Sox or Yankees fan can tell you that that is one of the greatest acts of solidarity between the two teams. If two long-time rivals can come together, anyone can.

These acts of kindness should not only restore faith in humanity during a time when faith is easily lost, but also remind us of what national unity looks like.
Obama has said the event is being investigated as an act of terrorism, and that those responsible will see justice. No one can predict what will happen, so I urge everyone to take this time to continue to come together for Boston.

Sansoucy, a freshman journalism major from Raleigh, is a senior news reporter.