我永遠不會忘記我離開波士頓一些最後的事情

來源；https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.presutti/posts/10151379846037724

Some Final Things I'll Never Forget as I leave Boston:

HI All, Thanks for all your responses. I'm sorry I haven't been able to answer them individually. This week has been quite remarkable. I've learned a lot, seen a lot, cried a little and slept a little. Very little. But today, I as fly home to hold my family close, I wanted to share experiences with you that I'll never forget:

Seeing the marathon finish line area, in the heart of Boston for the first time Monday. It looked like those old sci fi movies about the end of the world. People dropped everything right where they were using it and just left. It was silent. A light wind blew cups, running posters with motivational sayings, gloves, cosmetics, and space blankets that wrapped the runners.

The 8 year old who died -- the photo of him holding a poster reading, "No more hurting people. Peace." His 7 year old sister who lost a leg and their mom who has head trauma.

The woman who brought her 4 year old out to the barricaded crime scene to view the spontaneous memorial "I brought her out because I didn't know how to describe evil to her. Now she understands."

Right after that, she stooped down beside her daughter, stroked her hair and said, "Ava, where are those three people who died Monday?" Ava said, "Heaven." Mom: "And who are they with?" Ava: "Jesus". Her mom leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

Interviewing the Tibetan man who was sitting cross legged, reciting prayers at the memorial. He said, "Anything happens to Americans it happens to me. To all of us."

The person who dropped off his race medal from two years ago. He framed it with a note. The note said he had his "moment" as he crossed the finish line as spectators cheered. He left the medal for those that never had "their moment."

I asked a man if I could interview him about the bombers. He said, "You couldn't air anything I would say."

The man who cried as he told me how disappointed he was to not cross the finish line and hear the cheers of family & friends

The two 20-somethings marathon runners who live three blocks from the finish line. They said they spent all day Tuesday on auto pilot, running into dead ends because the streets were blocked. Their gym was closed. Their favorite Dunkin Donut Shop wasn't open. They double bolted their door for the first time ever Monday night. They felt as if someone hijacked their city and violated their trust.

Every day I received a letter from the hotel manager, explaining the situation involving the bombing and telling guests what food was available and at what time. During Friday's lockdown, he apologized for no housekeeping and very limited restaurant hours because transportation to Boston was suspended. There were no taxis, flights, subway or Amtrak to get his employees to work. The hotel also framed a certificate for every marathon who stayed here. How do I know this? The woman staying in my photographer's room left hers behind!

How empty and eerie Boston felt on Monday night (the day of the bombings) and on Friday when the manhunt in Watertown for
Suspect #2 forced a lockdown of residents. Strange when the only people you see are police and other media.

Eating food from 7-Eleven for two days and nights because we had no time for dinner.

Stopping at a take out pizza place the third night at 11pm because we had no time for dinner. They made a mistake and gave me two, not one slice of veggie pizza. So that became my dinner on the fourth night. A step up from 7-Eleven.

Being one of the few reporters who immediately knew what a “pressure cooker” was, having grown up with a mother who cooked all of our fresh garden vegetables in it. Actually, I have one in my kitchen too. Such a strange helpful device transformed into a deadly one.

The local elementary school who re-created the marathon finish line for their principal because she never got to finish the race. She ran her final 1/2 mile down the halls of the school, with students high-fiving her the entire way. She said she entered the race to teach her kids to set goals. She returned from the race, teaching them never to give up.

Riding around in a taxi (service was resumed at 3pm) Friday for a drug store (It was windy and I needed hair spray for my liveshots.) We never found one open.

Tufts Medical Center allowing VOA inside for an exclusive – we were the first TV crew to ever show the training in the simulation center at Tufts University School of Medicine Center. Training in the center was credited for saving lives, since trauma crews continually go through exercises involving mass casualties. The “patient” is a mannequin that talks, blinks and cries. He has pupils that dilate.

Tufts Medical Center is so old, it was funded by Paul Revere.
Also credited with saving lives (and limbs) is the number of world class hospitals concentrated within a 3 mile radius of the finish line. And, the
number of extra medical personnel on duty because of the annual marathon.

The race organizers giving all participants medals, even if the police stopped them before they could cross the finish line.

Seeing Boston getting back to "being Boston" on Wednesday and Thursday. As I walked out of our hotel, two little girls on scooters zoomed by. A bicyclist. Then, someone on a skateboard.

Then, total lockdown Friday starting at 2am. Racing to Watertown, a 15 minute drive outside of Boston, where thousands of police were taping off a huge 20 block radius to capture Suspect #2. Standing outside police lines as federal, state and local officers in full tactical uniforms passed us. Heavy black swat vehicles powered through the police tape, along with the bombing squad vehicles, Bomb sniffing dogs, FBI.

My cameraman and I trying to get a better view of the main area of concentration and getting stopped by three men in riot gear. “This is not a safe area. We are searching for unexploded ordinances. You need to turn around.”

A TV colleague telling me how he followed police into the scene, blending in with police who were also dressed in black with boots. He slung his TV camera over his back. Eventually police realized he was there and yelled, “Your identity is unknown. Announce yourself.” He moved back behind the yellow crime lines....

The three little kids (ages 6, 8, 10) who came out of their house in their pajamas to celebrate the capture of Suspect #2. One said to me, “The bad man is gone.” The other said, “I'm so happy I could explode.”

The spontaneous cheers erupting from the crowd every time a police vehicle would leave the blockaded scene

The young 20-something male in the celebration gauntlet who jovially said, "I slapped the side of that police car as it passed me. I probably better not do that again in another setting."

Overhearing Boston Mayor Menino over the police radio as I was speaking with police in Watertown. That was my first realization that it was all over. He said, "Congratulations and thank you."

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