Boston

Memorial for Marathon Bombing Victims Takes Shape in Boston

A memorial for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 is taking shape.

Crews began installing eight pillars that form the nucleus of the memorial Wednesday morning in Boston near the finish line of race on Boylston Street.

The monument also will incorporate decorative bronze-cast light poles and a bronze spire.

Artist Pablo Eduardo was on hand to watch the first of the spires be put into place.

"Everyone worked really hard and was very diligent," he said.

Four of the spires will tower over the two spots where the bombs went off on April 15, 2013. Three spectators were killed and more than 260 others were wounded.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer Sean Collier was fatally shot by the bombers as they tried to steal his gun days later.

When police closed in on the bombers in Watertown, Boston officer Dennis Simmonds suffered a head injury during a shootout. Simmonds suffered a fatal brain aneurysm a year later assessed to be the result of his injuries from the explosive device.

"We tried to represent a design to show how fragile life is and how things can change at a moments notice," Eduardo said.

Planning began four years ago for the $2 million memorial, which has undergone substantial redesign to satisfy the hopes and expectations of families who lost loved ones.

"It was a very contemplative and thoughtful discussion," City of Boston Chief of Operations Patrick Brophy said.

In the next few weeks, stone memorials will be put in place.

"It will be an honor to finally see it and to finally give the families what they’ve been waiting for for so long and hopefully they like it," Eduardo said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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