April 15, 2025 • 40 mins
Twelve years ago, Boston was shaken by the Boston Marathon bombing that occurred during the 117th annual Boston Marathon. The explosions killed three civilians and injured 264 others. MIT police officer Sean Collier was also ambushed and killed by the marathon bombers. Today we remember the day that Boston came together to tend to our wounded, honor and remember the citizens we lost, and remember that we are Boston Strong.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's nice eyes. I'm going you Razy Boston's News Radio.
Thanks very much, Dan Watkins, as we move into our
fourth and final hour here on Tuesday night, April fifteenth.
Tonight is the twelfth anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing.
(00:20):
That bombing, of course, occurred on what was Monday, April
fifteenth in twenty and thirteen. And what I'd like to
do is give you an opportunity to reflect on maybe
where you were, what experience you might have might not
have had. I have a bunch of open lines here,
(00:43):
so I'm going to just give the number out one
more time, and if you don't want to talk about
the bombing and the loss of innocent lives and the
fact that the Boston bomber number two is still alive
in Colorado in the Supermax prison. By the way, In
(01:04):
twenty twenty, bomber number two's death sentence was reversed by
the US Circuit Court of Appeals sitting here in Boston,
First Circuit, and they found that the judge, Judge O'Toole,
who's a really good judge, George O'Toole, experienced judge, had
(01:27):
not properly screened all the jurors and how much they
had heard about the case. Well, let me tell you,
everybody heard about that case. There's no question about that. Okay.
So as a result of that appeal, the First Circuit said, okay,
we're going to get rid of the death sentence and
also eliminated three I guess of the thirty convictions against
(01:47):
Boston Barber two I don't mention his name, and they
ordered a new penalty phase jury with fresh jurors, leaving
the decision of a new change of venue to the
district Court. The remaining conviction still carried multiple life sentences,
ensured that he would remain in prison irrespective of what
(02:10):
happened well. The US government appealed this ruling to the
US Supreme Court, who heard the case in March of
twenty twenty one. It was argued appealed in March of
twenty one, it was argued in front of the court
in October of twenty twenty one, and in March of
twenty twenty two, the Supreme Court reversed the decision of
(02:31):
the First Circuit and reinstated Boston Bomber's number two death penalty,
and tonight he sits in the in Colorado in what's
called the supermax prison, along with some of the most
some of the worst criminals in the history of this country.
(02:52):
As I mentioned initially incorrectly, I thought that Joe Biden
had basically filed an executive order. He actually commuted the
death penalty of thirty seven of the forty inmates on
federal prison. He has no authority over state prisons and
(03:12):
state death penalties, and they have been during President Trump's
time in office. Some state executions have already occurred. So
at this point, I don't see what's holding up the
White House and the Justice Department from making a move
on Boston Barber number two. Again, as we discussed last week,
(03:36):
I had a conversation with my good friend Harvey Silverglade,
who was in ultimably opposed to the death penalty in
any case because it sets a precedent and if there
could be an innocent person who would lose their life.
So again, I fully totally respect Harvey Silverglate. No one
who I respect more than Harvey Silverglade in the legal community,
(04:00):
but I disagree with him. And this is a case
with there's not a sintilla of doubt. It's not a
question of beyond a reasonable doubt. There's not a sintilla
of doubt that Boston bomber number two was clearly one
of the two men who planted these bombs on Boylston Street.
And they are aggravating circumstances to plant those bombs with
(04:21):
the ball bearings, the steel ball bearings inside, which were
intended to kill and mame, which they did. Anyway, let
me go to Warren in Fall River. Let's start it
off here in the eleven o'clock hour. It's a sad anniversary,
but it's one that I think needs to be remembered.
Warren in Fall River. Warren, you're next first up this hour.
(04:42):
Thanks for holding through the news. Go right ahead, Warren.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Hey, Dan, Yeah, just one. You know, I remember that
day vividly. I used to I mean, if I had
stayed in Boston, you know, like I had, I used
to work right across from where the finish was in
on Barleston Street, and you to overlook the finish line there.
(05:09):
So but I got transferred a year like a year
before down to Providence College. So if if I think
it transferred down to Province College, I would have been
right there at the finish line, and you know, when
I worked in Boston, I watched many, many of the
(05:33):
races from you know, from months from the window overlooking
you overlooking the race.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Yeah. So well, you just never know how how your
life works out. You think about the people who you
think about the people who were in the wrong place
at the wrong time. Yeah, you know, uh, they are
the people who were there five minutes earlier and left
(06:03):
to go to lunch and they were spared.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
I mean, it's it's absolutely it's like the roll of
the dice, I guess would be the only way to
describe it. Warren.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Oh, absolutely, absolutely. And and just just a comment on
what Biden did you know with the commuting of thirty
seven murderers. Yeah, all right, Yeah, that that just, you know,
is hypocrisy at best, because what did the left run on,
(06:35):
What did the liberal left run on this past thing
was abortion? You know, I mean the right to kill,
you know, the right to the right to have an abortion.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
No, I understand, Well that's been the position for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah, and I understand hypocritical that they want to defend
like the murderers, but you know, they don't want to
defend the innocent.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah. Well again, that's an issue that is one that
people feel deeply on on both sides of the spectrum,
and I think that there's no middle ground there, and
I just I want to focus tonight on the bar
you know that sort of thing. So I understand what
(07:23):
you're saying. What Biden had made a pledge that he
would eliminate the federal death penalty, and he made three exceptions.
One was the Boston bomber, One was the guy who
killed the black parishioners in Charleston, South Carolina, and then
one was the guy that went in and killed the
parishioners a Xury of Life temple outside of Pittsburgh. So
(07:46):
I commend him for not, you know, commuting those sentences.
But there were people in the Democratic Party who were
upset that he that he didn't commute those sentences too.
I mean, I don't get it. There were people on
the far left who said, well he should. He prom
is then there were forty people on death row uh
in the federal in the federal system, and thirty seven
of them now are guaranteed to to to die of
(08:09):
natural causes or maybe at the hands of another inmate,
but they won't be executed by the government.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So yeah, they won't be executed. But also like if
you you know, if you remember back during those horrible days,
you know, son Son, I have actually went you know,
went to university down at ums Dartmouth, which yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Oh yeah, no, absolutely, he went back there after the
bombing as a matter of fact, And and some of
his some of his roommates were people who I believe,
correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe that
some of his roommates actually lied about his whereabouts and
some of them were convicted of of minor, minor crimes. Again,
(08:57):
I'm not going to go into all the details, but
they were there were people even knowing, having known what
he did, they gave him, they tried to give him cover. Hey, Ron,
I'm up my break. I got to let you go.
Appreciate your call as always, you know that. Thanks BOM.
Talk to you soon, Thanks Warren. Okay, I got some
open lines here, and I'm going to talk about this
till midnight, with or without you. I hope you joined me.
Six one seven, two five four ten thirty one line
(09:19):
there and two at six one seven, nine three one
ten thirty. I don't want an event like this not
to be recognized and remembered. And by the way, if
there are people around the country who are listening, you
don't have to be from Boston who have been impacted
by this event. But I think those of us in
Boston were impacted by it more dramatically because all of
(09:40):
us have walked that portion of Boylston Street where those
bombs went off. People who are listeners and are listening
outside of New England, they may never have been to Boston,
so I know that they empathize with us as as Americans.
But these were people who were willing to just engage
in terrorist at activities at the marathon. Twelve years ago
(10:05):
today and twelve years ago tonight. This city was in shock,
This whole region, this country was in shock. But again,
it's the Boston Marathon, and that's what made it so
important to all of us. Feel free to join this conversation.
If you disagree with me on Boston barber number two
getting the death penalty, bring it on. We can talk
(10:25):
about it. I can respect your opinion, but I'm more
interested in your recollection of the day and what we
can do to make sure that something as horrific as
that doesn't happen again. I guess there's no way we
can guarantee that, but we have to do whatever we
can to prevent it from happening again. Back on Nightside,
(10:45):
join the conversation. We're here for you. Give us a
call back after this. You're on night Side with Dan
Ray ONBS Boston's news radio. All right, folks, got to
hear from you. Let's go to Scott and Quinn's. Scott,
you're next one night Side. Welcome.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Yes, Dan, good to be here on the show.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Good to hear your voice. Scott, go right ahead. But
I know you work. You work in a hospital, if
I'm not mistaken correct, Yes.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
The hospital that was very much involved that day. And yeah,
I was on duty and I walk in from having
lunch where the mailman in the restaurant says, I think
something happened down at the at the finish line. And
I get get to the hospital, get in, and I'm
handed what's called the BAT phone, which is the phone
(11:38):
that my department takes calls from other people in the
hospital for for our services with helping with the technology
and the and the O R and and that's when
the casualties start coming in. So I'm on I'm handling
the bat phone and and helping the care teams, you know,
(11:59):
with the technology in the rooms, is the casualties are
coming in and being treated. But the thing that was
most amazing to me is, you know, in ther on
a day to day basis, everyone's commitsing, talking, doing doing
all the stuff that workers in any other workplace doing,
all with doing the amazing work that they do there.
(12:20):
And it was like someone flicked a switch and everybody
and the entire OAR turned into this machine that responded
to this mass casualty event and everyone was just doing
incredible work. All the emergency kits came out, all the
emergency procedures went into place, and the entire and just
(12:41):
seeing it all happen and being there and being a
part of it, and you know, getting called to a
room to help with this technology or being on the
phone and summoning the right people to the right place,
and well, the thing's got through it that day.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Yeah, the thing that must have been astonishing was obviously,
in any given day, you can have a horrific automobile accident,
you can have a shooting somewhere, but the number of
people who had to be attended to, you know, Obviously
you have you know, four people will three people die
(13:18):
at the finish line. So you have the three who
die at the finish line. Then you have dozens who
come in who have been I mean, I hate to
use the word maimed, I mean people who have lost limbs.
And then you have people who have other really bad injuries,
(13:38):
but they at least it must have been like what
it would have been in a mass unit in the.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Middle of war, Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
But it was amazing just to see the way my
entire organization at the flick of a switch turned from
like casual every day doing health care and living life
to an amazing emergency response team that just everybody pulled
together and got the job done.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
But the root what I'm saying is the routine day
that it was up until two forty nine, which you
would have had some surgeries, you would have had this
and all of that. But all of a sudden, everything
is compounded dramatically, and that's what must have been an
amazing experience for you. Scott. Thank you for your service,
(14:29):
thank you for what you did that day. I'm awfully
glad you called because I knew that you had a
perspective that probably no one else would have had in
my audience, sort of an inside perspective. How long did
that work?
Speaker 4 (14:40):
People on the gurneys as they were being wheeled in
to be taken care of, they knew that they were
in the right place.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
How long did that work? How long Scott? Did that
work day continue? Obviously you must have worked well into
the most.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Into the evening.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
I just from of the faces the most, Oh.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
My god, yeah yeah. And then the people will come
out and who are now running the marathon, who lost limbs,
people who were ballet dancers, and an amazing group of people. Scott,
thank you so much for that recollection. That's an amazing story.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
All Right, damn, but have a great night.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Let's go to Christine. Christine, I'd love to know where
you were, what your recollection of that horrific day is.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
I was actually in the Faucner Hospital. I had a
knoscope that day, and I had just come out of recovery.
So they wanted to they told me what they told
us what was happening. So they said, would you mind,
We're going to get you up moving and we're going
to send you home. So I was like, that's fine.
(15:46):
They said, all the you know, all of the ambulances,
who are going to start calling up and everything. I
remember that exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
What what hospital were you locate? Where were you?
Speaker 7 (15:57):
Fuck? U?
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Yeah, they got their stats having patience there.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I'm sure that that. Yeah, that part Farctor was very
close and it's it's it's a it's a well equipped
hospital and yeah, I can just imagine they all day.
It was going to be all hands on deck. It
was an amazing week. It was an amazing week to
live in Boston. Between I remember later in the week
the car chase. That night I mentioned in the last hour,
(16:29):
I went to pick my daughter up at college in
Cambridge and uh, it was like I had no idea
what was going on, but all I saw was blue
lights heading down Memorial Drive. Uh, and it was like, WHOA,
what's going on? And then I put two and two together.
The shooting of the of the police officer Sean Collier
(16:49):
at m I T where they had.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
The all the city all came together and just you know,
we all we all just you know, it was amazing
how the sating was banner and God bless America that
they caught him.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And I remember I remember the night, well the next day,
when they next evening, when they caught him, and I
remember the the order that that everybody, you know, shelter
in place. I had never heard the term shelter in
place before that, and you and it was like you
(17:30):
assumed I got to keep a look out the window
in case this this guy is going to break into mind.
Everybody personalized it. Everyone was unalert And it would be
nice if I just wish that somehow in those times
of crisis, everybody seems to pull together. But those times
of crisis, they they disappeared, they dissipate very quickly, and
(17:53):
then we're back at each other's throats. Unfortunately, my heart just.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
Goes out to everyone that was involved, that that got killed.
So oh, it's just my heart is so sad, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Ye again, we have to always honor their memory. I
know that there were ceremonies conducted today by officials in
the city and from the state, and we we can't
ever forget this. I mean, this is this is something
as dramatic to us and as personal to us. You know,
nine to eleven impacted a lot of families because there
(18:27):
were people who had relatives in New York and there
were people on those planes from Boston. Yes, but this
was we were ground zero. Boston was ground zero for
that day. It was thank you.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
I don't know why they're keeping that terrorist alive. I
don't understand why has he not dead yet?
Speaker 7 (18:47):
I don't understand at some.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
At some point, I think this administration needs to needs
to address that issue, and hopefully they'll address it soon.
Thanks Christine, we'll talk soon. Thank you so much. Okay,
I got Bill in Chicago waiting, and Bill, if you
can hold on, I'll get you right on the other
side of the news robber. Just let Bill know he's
coming up next. And I got some open lines, folks,
(19:10):
Come on, come on, Uh, are your memories that short?
You don't recall that day? I don't know six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty.
What are the lessons of that day? What do we
take from that day? Obviously we we hold in high
(19:30):
esteem the response, amazing response by police, by fire, by
emt UH people on the ground, by doctors, by nurses,
people who were called in a moment of crisis and
they responded. I'd love to hear from you in your recollection. Uh,
(19:51):
and again I'm more than happy to talk about why,
twelve years later, the Boston bomber number two, his name
will not be mentioned on this program by me. Why
Boston bomber number two still sits and gets three square
squeeze three meals a day and sleeps in comfort. It
(20:12):
is his time should have run out long ago in
my opinion, Back on nights Side, right after the news
at the bottom of the hour, my name's Dan Ray.
The only we got one line at six one, seven, two, five,
four to ten thirty and one at six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. And if they're not filled
up by the end of the newscast and one is
only one left six one seven, nine three one ten thirty,
(20:33):
I would have been disappointed in my audience. Coming back
on Nightside, It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's
news radio. This is the twelfth anniversary of the Boston
Marathon bombing. Let me go to Bill in Chicago. Hey, Bill,
appreciate you calling in. How are you tonight?
Speaker 7 (20:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Not too bad and none too bad?
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (20:57):
If ahead of time, I get the stories of update
that the Irish family about your last name, but I
think it's Scottish. Uh, but that's another story. H Look
at I lived it on the country, and I've heard
people talk about the New York Marathon, the Chicago one.
(21:18):
They don't want to California. But my best memory, and
I tell people, when did the someone under send at
the time the first marathon ran and Bosston? I don't know,
but I was ten years old. I lived in Naty
and I was I couldn't wait the marathon day because
(21:40):
P used to go there and gives slaves oranges and
water the runners coming by. It was a hell of
a memory.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Yeah, tell well, you know, the first Boston Marathon goes
back to like eighteen ninety six, I believe, or eighteen
ninety seven, So it's been around a long time. And
I can't even remember listening as a kid in the
nineteen fifties, as a young young kid in the nineteen fifties,
(22:07):
on my grandfather's radio he lived in Jamaica plane and
my grandmother lived on Jamaica Plane. And it was not
on television. I mean, it was just it was just
a radio race. And you would hear someone who would
be reporting.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
In US, yeah, about the New York and the Chicago.
By anyway, I never forget it, and it was a
big day in Naty. And the other thing I wanted
to say is there were two old runners, Johnny Kelly
(22:41):
and Clarence Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yep, sure, well, well I interviewed Johnny Kelly many times
in the nineteen nineteen eighties and into the nineteen nineties. Sure,
and never met Clarence Tomorrow because I think he proceeded
Johnny Kelly's time. But there was Johnny Kelly and the elder,
(23:04):
and then Johnny Kelly the younger. There was the second,
Johnny Kelly out of Connecticut, who had the same name,
obviously fairly common name, and he I don't think he
won it, but you know, Johnny Kelly won the marathon.
I'd have to go back and look. But certainly like
in the late thirties, early forties, you know, and he
was running in those days there was there were no
(23:26):
prize money. It was you know, it was uh, you
got a a wreath, a victory wreath on your head, uh,
and and and a couple of beef stew and that
was it, you know. There and there were others, I
mean back in the back in the day, there was
(23:47):
a guy Tarzan and Brown, and I mean these were
guys in the you know, in the long in the
way back machine. But yeah, they there's there's been several
that that that we remember very well, and certainly Johnny
Kelly would be one of them. I'm just looking at
the list here. I don't know off the top of
(24:08):
my head, but Damar won it. I guess it was
seven times in the twenties and thirties. The last time
that he won it was nineteen thirty. And then Johnny
Kelly comes along and wins it in nineteen thirty five.
And he comes back ten years later and wins it
in forty five, so you know, he was and then
(24:30):
there was a different john j Kelly was the guy
from Connecticut. He won it in fifty seven. But Johnny
Kelly his record was that he always ranted, and he
always competed, and he always finished. He had some sort
of a crazy record that he completed in so, you know,
completed so many marathons in a row. It was unbelievable. Unbelievable. Bill,
(24:56):
Thank you for you listen to us in Chicago every night.
Out there, I hope we think we're losing our connection.
Are you still there. Bill, Yeah, we lost telling. We
lost him. Thank you for calling. Bill, appreciate it. Let
him know that we lost him there, Brob please that
would be great if you can handle the call from there.
(25:19):
I'm gonna move on, Rob, if you want to take
it down, Okay, that's fine. We lost him. Okay, let
me go next to We're gonna go next to. Let
me go to Joe in Boston. Joe, appreciate your calling.
And I'm surprised more folks aren't jumping tonight to jump
on the lines. Go ahead, Joe. How are you good?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Good evening? Dan, I'm doing great, not much better now
that I'm talking to you. Were you.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
I'm doing great? Were you working that day?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No?
Speaker 8 (25:49):
Actually, Dan, it was a funny day because my grandson
was actually three years old, and then he's a best
friend that was four, and I look into a little
park in Jamaica plane and then because my intention originally
was to get the two kids at.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Three in a four year old with me into the
finish line. However, the four year old that came with
them came with two causes. They were five and six.
Speaker 8 (26:17):
So I say I can handle two kids before is
I don't think I want to handle four kids.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
So I used to in Jamaica plane.
Speaker 8 (26:25):
We were by the Southeast Corridor, by the green Stree
station there, Yark, So we used to.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I used stay with the kids there in then once I.
Speaker 8 (26:37):
Was done with them that I was getting them home,
I heard it on the radio, and I mean I was,
you know, I mean I was numb. I say, he's
not here in Boston. I mean, this cannot be. You know,
I couldn't believe it. But I couldn't have myself found myself.
You know, there were two kids. It would have been
(26:57):
a horrible thing they were.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
There were probably a lot of people there, obviously with children,
and and that's what really first of all, the use
that these guys had the pressure cooker bombs with the
I mean with the ball bearings inside, which it just
intended to name people to take.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
It main people.
Speaker 8 (27:23):
I mean the Martin Martin kids. I mean, oh my goodness,
that kid. I mean that hurt me so about his
sister because his sister was made I mean they yeah,
you was think you're real bad. And I mean, and
I couldn't. I mean, it took me a while. I
guess that must be what they call trauma. Or whatever
(27:46):
I mean, because I couldn't believe it. I refuse to believe,
you know, that I was here in Boston. You know,
it was a horrible experience, horrible horror experience. And then
on my end, other business end that I drive a
lot of people, high end people to and from places.
I actually had any student that I overlooked, a student
(28:10):
that I was taking care of, busy in the parents.
They were calling from Brazil, very wealthy parents. They couldn't
work hold of her, but they got home because they
got my home number. They were able to talk to
me and say, oh no, I talked to the young lady,
she's fine. They flew in a day and a half
later because they were so worried. They flew in private.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Of course, I wasn't able to the restaurants in the city.
Speaker 8 (28:38):
They were all closed because they the restaurants they could
not get the help to call be in and.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Work because the transportation was shut down.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
So I was actually able to manage and get them,
you know, to restaurants of people that I knew that
they were operating, you know, in their experience, was you
know okay, because otherwise, I mean it would have been.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
You know, insane, but it was. It was something to remember.
I always remember that. I always remember that end.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Yeah, it was a day that none of us who
were here will forget. Uh. And again the fact that
it happened in Boston, it's something that we can do
in Boston, in.
Speaker 8 (29:17):
Boston, of all places in Boston. About place I was
actually when the chief started. I was driving through the
bridge the mass have in the bridge to drop off
in Cambridge, and I've never seen so many cards with
brute eyes going on that direction.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
I was returning from Cambridge and there were all kinds.
Speaker 8 (29:40):
Of vehicles going out that way, and it was because
they had the chase going into Watertown that day.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
It was just I mean, it was just so real,
so real.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
We will we will talk soon, Okay, and h the
Red Sox one tonight, Joe after last night. Unbelievable. Yeah,
thanks buddy, Thanks Joe. We'll talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
A man. I appreciate your brother.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
I catch you. I have a great night. Good night. Okay,
we go take a break. Let's fill up these lines
and get everybody in at the end. The only lines
that are open around now. We got two at six, one, seven, two, five, four, ten,
thirty last shot here at your recollection. You're a memory
of the marathon from twenty thirteen. It was twelve years
(30:37):
ago today. You forget about it, but it was. You
forget the date, but you always remember what happened. Feel
free to join the conversation. We will spend two hours
on this tonight. I uh, it's one of those things
that as long as any of us are alive, any
of us are alive, it should never be forgotten. We'll
(30:58):
be back right after this. It's Night Side with Dan
Ray on Boston's news radio. Or have we got room
for everyone? So stay right there. I'll get everybody in,
starting with Larry down to the Cape. Larry next on Nightside,
Welcome back.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Tough subject, Danne, and I can feal your emotions.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Thank you?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
So can you hear me?
Speaker 1 (31:23):
I can hear you find go right ahead?
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Okay. So back in the late sixties, I lived right
in the corner of Brighton AB and Commawealth AB. And
I used to enjoy walking over to Karmouth AB watching
the run has come because they had just finished Hot
Break Hills.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I remember that, Oh, I remember it very well.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
Yeah, yeah, So twelve years ago, I'm at the house.
I'm like in Dennis Sport doing the odd work, and
my wife is sitting in the neighbor's house and there
watching the marathon. She comes running out and she yells
at me and she says, oh my god, oh my god,
you won't believe what happened. Well, my son, as you know,
as a Boston police officer, and we didn't know where
along the course he was positioned. We called the phone,
(32:00):
you didn't answer. We're holding our breast. We're going nuts.
So then she says, we got to get in the car.
We got to get out of here. I said why.
I don't remember this exactly, but she reminded me there
was rumors who were going to blow a ball of bridges,
that they blow up the Sagamore Bridge. We're going to
be stuck on the cape. Jumping the car and we
get in. Finally, after about an hour, we reached my son.
(32:21):
He was positioned in Kenmore Square and he started running
towards towards everything. But he was okay.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
But what a night.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
I'll hang up and listen to everybody else's story.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
So if you were, if you were on Beacon Street
back in the day.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Well out at the corner of Brighton Avs and Karma
and Calma.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Okay, Brighton and Calm. So you were there in the
late sixties.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
Yeah, Demmbro Sound was right next to me, remember them.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Yeah I do.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, yeah, So I'm just looking at the list of
winners here. Amby Burfoot was a winner in sixty eight.
There was a Japanese winner in sixty nine, Yoshi kai
Yu and Natani you know those names. Community and so
you didn't get to the Billy Rodgers races until seventy five.
(33:16):
You get Bill Rodgers had four wins seventy five, seventy eight,
seventy nine, and eighty.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Yeah, he was the man. I just used to like
to watch him. That's five down because they only had
what maybe another couple of miles to the finish line,
so they were a.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
Little more than that. Little more than that. That was
a good four or five miles from there, because the
top of the mark that was about twenty Yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Yeah, No, I was down right at the curve where
curves down over by Buya.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
I think that I watched. I watched I think Rogers
in seventy five. I wasn't working in television at the time.
I didn't start in TV until seventy six, but I
watched Rogers kind of in that location with some friends
in nineteen seventy five when he came by Boston, Billy
(34:03):
Larry got to keep rolling here, Thank you so much.
Is is Jill back safe in Cabul?
Speaker 4 (34:09):
I hope or you know she's here for another two weeks?
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Okay, excellent, excellent. Got to give me a call. Okay, thanks,
talk to you later. I have a great mine ooky
good back. Let me get Laura Lauro Junior in Lynn
Lauro Jr. Welcome back. How are you hey?
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Thank you for the welcome back. I wish your true happiness.
I wish all your listener is true happiness. Joe is
one of my favorite calls.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
She's so cute.
Speaker 5 (34:36):
I was all they all true happiness. So that day
I was I was about to leave my house to
go to that to watch the marathon. I was just
going to go to the finish line. But I was
calling the neshew to see if he wanted to go
to lunch. And he hardly never hangs out with me,
and I told him, Hey, we're going to go to
this restaurant, one of his favorite restaurants, and he's like, okay,
(34:59):
let's go.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
So we went.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
I came back home like around one, I laid down
and arrested it a little bit. My twin sisters texting me,
where are you are you? Okay, well, how are you?
Speaker 4 (35:10):
What's going on?
Speaker 5 (35:10):
I'm over here laying down. My cousin in Ohio too,
said what's going on over there in Boston. I'm like,
I don't know. I'm like, let me put I put
it on the TV. Oh whoa wow, Like that was
like whoa, I cannot believe. I was about you and
my next you said no to me. I was about
to leave out of my apartment to go there that day.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
Yeah, it's just funny how decisions have made, Laura. It's
as simple as that.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Look, I got three more. I got to get to
and call early, and I'll give you much more time. Okay,
thanks Laura, appreciate the memory. Thank you you too. Have
a great night. Okay, gonna try to get three and
let me go first to Pete and Revere. Pete next
on nightside. You've called a little late, go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (35:53):
Pete just came out to pay my taxes. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
but I'm gonna get the two wammies for you. Okay,
On that particular day, my son is a professional clown,
and he was doing a job for Big Corporation and
the Mandarin at the end of the building and the
(36:13):
windows right across the street. With the second one went off.
We heard the first one, but he was by the
window being curious. He put his face on the window
to look to the right, and bingo, the second one
went off and the here's the good thing. Most of
the blast hit the building. That restaurant was destroyed. If
you don't know, at the whole front of the restaurant,
the cover of the pressure cooker took off like a
(36:37):
frisbee right toward him. He watched it almost he went
straight up and landed on the roof of the Mandarin,
eight eight stories high.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
All right, never knew that.
Speaker 7 (36:46):
Yeah, Now, when it's over, they threw everybody out. How
would you like to be running or not running but
walking dressed as a clown?
Speaker 3 (36:55):
All right?
Speaker 7 (36:55):
Top the bottom?
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Oh my god?
Speaker 7 (36:57):
Yeah, where's here's the best time. He carries a tank
of gas to blow up balloons. It's a balloom specialist.
It's a bigger than a fifty two. If if you
don't about underwater tanks.
Speaker 5 (37:09):
All right.
Speaker 7 (37:09):
Now he's walking with a tank, dressed like a clown.
And if you remember, the front page of every magazine
and the newspaper showed Boston cops running around with guns
up because they don't know what to do a where
to go?
Speaker 3 (37:21):
All right?
Speaker 7 (37:22):
I told him. He called me. I said, quick, take
go back to the south end, right run down. There's
a big, big liquor store. I said, just stay in there.
They give you any trouble, attach yourself to a pipe.
I said, I'll be there shortly, and and I went
to pick him up.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
Good for you.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Talk about timing, Pete, I got.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
I hate to do this to your man. You called late,
but I got two other folks.
Speaker 7 (37:43):
I got to give you something to hear you boys,
all right. A friend of yours said, hey.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Call more off and I know who this is. All right, Pete,
thank you much. Doct you assume Rick and Bill Rick
and Ricky got to help me out and be quick?
Speaker 9 (37:57):
Yeah? Absolutely. I was leave my friend's house in South Dartmouth.
I saw him for the weekend, and I was on
the highway at the time that I heard it, and
I was listening to b Z radio, which I've been
listening to since nineteen ninety two when I was at
Framingham State College, so I heard it there and then
I had to when I worked for the town of
(38:18):
Bedford as a custodian, I had to clean the depot
bathroom and then that's where I went after that, and
I wasn't able to see it on TV until later on.
But later on that week, I remember cleaning the bathroom.
I cleaned it a couple of times a week, I
think a Monday and a Friday or something, and this
woman was freaking out because there's an if sworn caught
yet and she was she was walking around that where
(38:41):
I was cleaning the bed and she goes, I'm so scared,
and I told her to relax. Everything's going to be okay.
They're going to catch them and you're gonna be able.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
And they have the.
Speaker 9 (38:49):
Shootout the night before anyway, but she was freaked out,
and I just remember telling her everything's going to be okay.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
You just well, that's your voice of reason, that's for sure. Rick,
I got to get one more in here. Would you
please call a little earlier, say I give you more time, thanks, Matt.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
I tried I'll call.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Talk to you later. Okay. Scott is in every Scott
next on Nightside. I got about twenty seconds for you, Scott.
What can you do with it?
Speaker 5 (39:14):
None of the bombing at the race.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
I was homeless, living in a cow listening to it
on A ten thirty.
Speaker 5 (39:19):
And my personal about that they you both die?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Your personal what my personal thought that is?
Speaker 5 (39:30):
You're both be executed.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Yeah, I'm with you. On thatt I'm told, well, one
has already gone, he's gone to his reward or whatever.
Let's put the other guy in the same place. Scott.
I appreciate it. Thank you very much. To the callers
on the line, I apologize, but I'm flat out of time,
flat out of time. Done for the night. Rob, Please
explain to them they got to call earlier. All dogs,
all cats, all pets go to heaven. That's my pal
(39:54):
Charlie Rays, who passed fifteen years ago in February. That's
where all your pets are her past. They loved you
and you love them. I do believe you'll see them again.
Hope to see you in tomorrow night on Nightside. Everyone
want to thank Rob, want to thank Marita, want to
thank all the calls even those who called late, and
I'd ripe to remind you have a great Wednesday. Everybody
will see you tomorrow night. I will be on night
(40:15):
Side on Facebook Nightside with Dan Ray on Facebook in
about two minutes. I'll see you there. Thanks. Everyone, be safe.
It's nice eyes. I'm going you Razy Boston's News Radio.
Thanks very much, Dan Watkins, as we move into our
fourth and final hour here on Tuesday night, April fifteenth.
Tonight is the twelfth anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing.
(00:20):
That bombing, of course, occurred on what was Monday, April
fifteenth in twenty and thirteen. And what I'd like to
do is give you an opportunity to reflect on maybe
where you were, what experience you might have might not
have had. I have a bunch of open lines here,
(00:43):
so I'm going to just give the number out one
more time, and if you don't want to talk about
the bombing and the loss of innocent lives and the
fact that the Boston bomber number two is still alive
in Colorado in the Supermax prison. By the way, In
(01:04):
twenty twenty, bomber number two's death sentence was reversed by
the US Circuit Court of Appeals sitting here in Boston,
First Circuit, and they found that the judge, Judge O'Toole,
who's a really good judge, George O'Toole, experienced judge, had
(01:27):
not properly screened all the jurors and how much they
had heard about the case. Well, let me tell you,
everybody heard about that case. There's no question about that. Okay.
So as a result of that appeal, the First Circuit said, okay,
we're going to get rid of the death sentence and
also eliminated three I guess of the thirty convictions against
(01:47):
Boston Barber two I don't mention his name, and they
ordered a new penalty phase jury with fresh jurors, leaving
the decision of a new change of venue to the
district Court. The remaining conviction still carried multiple life sentences,
ensured that he would remain in prison irrespective of what
(02:10):
happened well. The US government appealed this ruling to the
US Supreme Court, who heard the case in March of
twenty twenty one. It was argued appealed in March of
twenty one, it was argued in front of the court
in October of twenty twenty one, and in March of
twenty twenty two, the Supreme Court reversed the decision of
(02:31):
the First Circuit and reinstated Boston Bomber's number two death penalty,
and tonight he sits in the in Colorado in what's
called the supermax prison, along with some of the most
some of the worst criminals in the history of this country.
(02:52):
As I mentioned initially incorrectly, I thought that Joe Biden
had basically filed an executive order. He actually commuted the
death penalty of thirty seven of the forty inmates on
federal prison. He has no authority over state prisons and
(03:12):
state death penalties, and they have been during President Trump's
time in office. Some state executions have already occurred. So
at this point, I don't see what's holding up the
White House and the Justice Department from making a move
on Boston Barber number two. Again, as we discussed last week,
(03:36):
I had a conversation with my good friend Harvey Silverglade,
who was in ultimably opposed to the death penalty in
any case because it sets a precedent and if there
could be an innocent person who would lose their life.
So again, I fully totally respect Harvey Silverglate. No one
who I respect more than Harvey Silverglade in the legal community,
(04:00):
but I disagree with him. And this is a case
with there's not a sintilla of doubt. It's not a
question of beyond a reasonable doubt. There's not a sintilla
of doubt that Boston bomber number two was clearly one
of the two men who planted these bombs on Boylston Street.
And they are aggravating circumstances to plant those bombs with
(04:21):
the ball bearings, the steel ball bearings inside, which were
intended to kill and mame, which they did. Anyway, let
me go to Warren in Fall River. Let's start it
off here in the eleven o'clock hour. It's a sad anniversary,
but it's one that I think needs to be remembered.
Warren in Fall River. Warren, you're next first up this hour.
(04:42):
Thanks for holding through the news. Go right ahead, Warren.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Hey, Dan, Yeah, just one. You know, I remember that
day vividly. I used to I mean, if I had
stayed in Boston, you know, like I had, I used
to work right across from where the finish was in
on Barleston Street, and you to overlook the finish line there.
(05:09):
So but I got transferred a year like a year
before down to Providence College. So if if I think
it transferred down to Province College, I would have been
right there at the finish line, and you know, when
I worked in Boston, I watched many, many of the
(05:33):
races from you know, from months from the window overlooking
you overlooking the race.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Yeah. So well, you just never know how how your
life works out. You think about the people who you
think about the people who were in the wrong place
at the wrong time. Yeah, you know, uh, they are
the people who were there five minutes earlier and left
(06:03):
to go to lunch and they were spared.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
I mean, it's it's absolutely it's like the roll of
the dice, I guess would be the only way to
describe it. Warren.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Oh, absolutely, absolutely. And and just just a comment on
what Biden did you know with the commuting of thirty
seven murderers. Yeah, all right, Yeah, that that just, you know,
is hypocrisy at best, because what did the left run on,
(06:35):
What did the liberal left run on this past thing
was abortion? You know, I mean the right to kill,
you know, the right to the right to have an abortion.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
No, I understand, Well that's been the position for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah, and I understand hypocritical that they want to defend
like the murderers, but you know, they don't want to
defend the innocent.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah. Well again, that's an issue that is one that
people feel deeply on on both sides of the spectrum,
and I think that there's no middle ground there, and
I just I want to focus tonight on the bar
you know that sort of thing. So I understand what
(07:23):
you're saying. What Biden had made a pledge that he
would eliminate the federal death penalty, and he made three exceptions.
One was the Boston bomber, One was the guy who
killed the black parishioners in Charleston, South Carolina, and then
one was the guy that went in and killed the
parishioners a Xury of Life temple outside of Pittsburgh. So
(07:46):
I commend him for not, you know, commuting those sentences.
But there were people in the Democratic Party who were
upset that he that he didn't commute those sentences too.
I mean, I don't get it. There were people on
the far left who said, well he should. He prom
is then there were forty people on death row uh
in the federal in the federal system, and thirty seven
of them now are guaranteed to to to die of
(08:09):
natural causes or maybe at the hands of another inmate,
but they won't be executed by the government.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So yeah, they won't be executed. But also like if
you you know, if you remember back during those horrible days,
you know, son Son, I have actually went you know,
went to university down at ums Dartmouth, which yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Oh yeah, no, absolutely, he went back there after the
bombing as a matter of fact, And and some of
his some of his roommates were people who I believe,
correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe that
some of his roommates actually lied about his whereabouts and
some of them were convicted of of minor, minor crimes. Again,
(08:57):
I'm not going to go into all the details, but
they were there were people even knowing, having known what
he did, they gave him, they tried to give him cover. Hey, Ron,
I'm up my break. I got to let you go.
Appreciate your call as always, you know that. Thanks BOM.
Talk to you soon, Thanks Warren. Okay, I got some
open lines here, and I'm going to talk about this
till midnight, with or without you. I hope you joined me.
Six one seven, two five four ten thirty one line
(09:19):
there and two at six one seven, nine three one
ten thirty. I don't want an event like this not
to be recognized and remembered. And by the way, if
there are people around the country who are listening, you
don't have to be from Boston who have been impacted
by this event. But I think those of us in
Boston were impacted by it more dramatically because all of
(09:40):
us have walked that portion of Boylston Street where those
bombs went off. People who are listeners and are listening
outside of New England, they may never have been to Boston,
so I know that they empathize with us as as Americans.
But these were people who were willing to just engage
in terrorist at activities at the marathon. Twelve years ago
(10:05):
today and twelve years ago tonight. This city was in shock,
This whole region, this country was in shock. But again,
it's the Boston Marathon, and that's what made it so
important to all of us. Feel free to join this conversation.
If you disagree with me on Boston barber number two
getting the death penalty, bring it on. We can talk
(10:25):
about it. I can respect your opinion, but I'm more
interested in your recollection of the day and what we
can do to make sure that something as horrific as
that doesn't happen again. I guess there's no way we
can guarantee that, but we have to do whatever we
can to prevent it from happening again. Back on Nightside,
(10:45):
join the conversation. We're here for you. Give us a
call back after this. You're on night Side with Dan
Ray ONBS Boston's news radio. All right, folks, got to
hear from you. Let's go to Scott and Quinn's. Scott,
you're next one night Side. Welcome.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
Yes, Dan, good to be here on the show.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Good to hear your voice. Scott, go right ahead. But
I know you work. You work in a hospital, if
I'm not mistaken correct, Yes.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
The hospital that was very much involved that day. And yeah,
I was on duty and I walk in from having
lunch where the mailman in the restaurant says, I think
something happened down at the at the finish line. And
I get get to the hospital, get in, and I'm
handed what's called the BAT phone, which is the phone
(11:38):
that my department takes calls from other people in the
hospital for for our services with helping with the technology
and the and the O R and and that's when
the casualties start coming in. So I'm on I'm handling
the bat phone and and helping the care teams, you know,
(11:59):
with the technology in the rooms, is the casualties are
coming in and being treated. But the thing that was
most amazing to me is, you know, in ther on
a day to day basis, everyone's commitsing, talking, doing doing
all the stuff that workers in any other workplace doing,
all with doing the amazing work that they do there.
(12:20):
And it was like someone flicked a switch and everybody
and the entire OAR turned into this machine that responded
to this mass casualty event and everyone was just doing
incredible work. All the emergency kits came out, all the
emergency procedures went into place, and the entire and just
(12:41):
seeing it all happen and being there and being a
part of it, and you know, getting called to a
room to help with this technology or being on the
phone and summoning the right people to the right place,
and well, the thing's got through it that day.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Yeah, the thing that must have been astonishing was obviously,
in any given day, you can have a horrific automobile accident,
you can have a shooting somewhere, but the number of
people who had to be attended to, you know, Obviously
you have you know, four people will three people die
(13:18):
at the finish line. So you have the three who
die at the finish line. Then you have dozens who
come in who have been I mean, I hate to
use the word maimed, I mean people who have lost limbs.
And then you have people who have other really bad injuries,
(13:38):
but they at least it must have been like what
it would have been in a mass unit in the.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Middle of war, Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
But it was amazing just to see the way my
entire organization at the flick of a switch turned from
like casual every day doing health care and living life
to an amazing emergency response team that just everybody pulled
together and got the job done.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
But the root what I'm saying is the routine day
that it was up until two forty nine, which you
would have had some surgeries, you would have had this
and all of that. But all of a sudden, everything
is compounded dramatically, and that's what must have been an
amazing experience for you. Scott. Thank you for your service,
(14:29):
thank you for what you did that day. I'm awfully
glad you called because I knew that you had a
perspective that probably no one else would have had in
my audience, sort of an inside perspective. How long did
that work?
Speaker 4 (14:40):
People on the gurneys as they were being wheeled in
to be taken care of, they knew that they were
in the right place.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
How long did that work? How long Scott? Did that
work day continue? Obviously you must have worked well into
the most.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Into the evening.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
I just from of the faces the most, Oh.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
My god, yeah yeah. And then the people will come
out and who are now running the marathon, who lost limbs,
people who were ballet dancers, and an amazing group of people. Scott,
thank you so much for that recollection. That's an amazing story.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
All Right, damn, but have a great night.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Let's go to Christine. Christine, I'd love to know where
you were, what your recollection of that horrific day is.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
I was actually in the Faucner Hospital. I had a
knoscope that day, and I had just come out of recovery.
So they wanted to they told me what they told
us what was happening. So they said, would you mind,
We're going to get you up moving and we're going
to send you home. So I was like, that's fine.
(15:46):
They said, all the you know, all of the ambulances,
who are going to start calling up and everything. I
remember that exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
What what hospital were you locate? Where were you?
Speaker 7 (15:57):
Fuck? U?
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Yeah, they got their stats having patience there.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I'm sure that that. Yeah, that part Farctor was very
close and it's it's it's a it's a well equipped
hospital and yeah, I can just imagine they all day.
It was going to be all hands on deck. It
was an amazing week. It was an amazing week to
live in Boston. Between I remember later in the week
the car chase. That night I mentioned in the last hour,
(16:29):
I went to pick my daughter up at college in
Cambridge and uh, it was like I had no idea
what was going on, but all I saw was blue
lights heading down Memorial Drive. Uh, and it was like, WHOA,
what's going on? And then I put two and two together.
The shooting of the of the police officer Sean Collier
(16:49):
at m I T where they had.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
The all the city all came together and just you know,
we all we all just you know, it was amazing
how the sating was banner and God bless America that
they caught him.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And I remember I remember the night, well the next day,
when they next evening, when they caught him, and I
remember the the order that that everybody, you know, shelter
in place. I had never heard the term shelter in
place before that, and you and it was like you
(17:30):
assumed I got to keep a look out the window
in case this this guy is going to break into mind.
Everybody personalized it. Everyone was unalert And it would be
nice if I just wish that somehow in those times
of crisis, everybody seems to pull together. But those times
of crisis, they they disappeared, they dissipate very quickly, and
(17:53):
then we're back at each other's throats. Unfortunately, my heart just.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
Goes out to everyone that was involved, that that got killed.
So oh, it's just my heart is so sad, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Ye again, we have to always honor their memory. I
know that there were ceremonies conducted today by officials in
the city and from the state, and we we can't
ever forget this. I mean, this is this is something
as dramatic to us and as personal to us. You know,
nine to eleven impacted a lot of families because there
(18:27):
were people who had relatives in New York and there
were people on those planes from Boston. Yes, but this
was we were ground zero. Boston was ground zero for
that day. It was thank you.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
I don't know why they're keeping that terrorist alive. I
don't understand why has he not dead yet?
Speaker 7 (18:47):
I don't understand at some.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
At some point, I think this administration needs to needs
to address that issue, and hopefully they'll address it soon.
Thanks Christine, we'll talk soon. Thank you so much. Okay,
I got Bill in Chicago waiting, and Bill, if you
can hold on, I'll get you right on the other
side of the news robber. Just let Bill know he's
coming up next. And I got some open lines, folks,
(19:10):
Come on, come on, Uh, are your memories that short?
You don't recall that day? I don't know six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty.
What are the lessons of that day? What do we
take from that day? Obviously we we hold in high
(19:30):
esteem the response, amazing response by police, by fire, by
emt UH people on the ground, by doctors, by nurses,
people who were called in a moment of crisis and
they responded. I'd love to hear from you in your recollection. Uh,
(19:51):
and again I'm more than happy to talk about why,
twelve years later, the Boston bomber number two, his name
will not be mentioned on this program by me. Why
Boston bomber number two still sits and gets three square
squeeze three meals a day and sleeps in comfort. It
(20:12):
is his time should have run out long ago in
my opinion, Back on nights Side, right after the news
at the bottom of the hour, my name's Dan Ray.
The only we got one line at six one, seven, two, five,
four to ten thirty and one at six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. And if they're not filled
up by the end of the newscast and one is
only one left six one seven, nine three one ten thirty,
(20:33):
I would have been disappointed in my audience. Coming back
on Nightside, It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's
news radio. This is the twelfth anniversary of the Boston
Marathon bombing. Let me go to Bill in Chicago. Hey, Bill,
appreciate you calling in. How are you tonight?
Speaker 7 (20:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Not too bad and none too bad?
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (20:57):
If ahead of time, I get the stories of update
that the Irish family about your last name, but I
think it's Scottish. Uh, but that's another story. H Look
at I lived it on the country, and I've heard
people talk about the New York Marathon, the Chicago one.
(21:18):
They don't want to California. But my best memory, and
I tell people, when did the someone under send at
the time the first marathon ran and Bosston? I don't know,
but I was ten years old. I lived in Naty
and I was I couldn't wait the marathon day because
(21:40):
P used to go there and gives slaves oranges and
water the runners coming by. It was a hell of
a memory.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Yeah, tell well, you know, the first Boston Marathon goes
back to like eighteen ninety six, I believe, or eighteen
ninety seven, So it's been around a long time. And
I can't even remember listening as a kid in the
nineteen fifties, as a young young kid in the nineteen fifties,
(22:07):
on my grandfather's radio he lived in Jamaica plane and
my grandmother lived on Jamaica Plane. And it was not
on television. I mean, it was just it was just
a radio race. And you would hear someone who would
be reporting.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
In US, yeah, about the New York and the Chicago.
By anyway, I never forget it, and it was a
big day in Naty. And the other thing I wanted
to say is there were two old runners, Johnny Kelly
(22:41):
and Clarence Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yep, sure, well, well I interviewed Johnny Kelly many times
in the nineteen nineteen eighties and into the nineteen nineties. Sure,
and never met Clarence Tomorrow because I think he proceeded
Johnny Kelly's time. But there was Johnny Kelly and the elder,
(23:04):
and then Johnny Kelly the younger. There was the second,
Johnny Kelly out of Connecticut, who had the same name,
obviously fairly common name, and he I don't think he
won it, but you know, Johnny Kelly won the marathon.
I'd have to go back and look. But certainly like
in the late thirties, early forties, you know, and he
was running in those days there was there were no
(23:26):
prize money. It was you know, it was uh, you
got a a wreath, a victory wreath on your head, uh,
and and and a couple of beef stew and that
was it, you know. There and there were others, I
mean back in the back in the day, there was
(23:47):
a guy Tarzan and Brown, and I mean these were
guys in the you know, in the long in the
way back machine. But yeah, they there's there's been several
that that that we remember very well, and certainly Johnny
Kelly would be one of them. I'm just looking at
the list here. I don't know off the top of
(24:08):
my head, but Damar won it. I guess it was
seven times in the twenties and thirties. The last time
that he won it was nineteen thirty. And then Johnny
Kelly comes along and wins it in nineteen thirty five.
And he comes back ten years later and wins it
in forty five, so you know, he was and then
(24:30):
there was a different john j Kelly was the guy
from Connecticut. He won it in fifty seven. But Johnny
Kelly his record was that he always ranted, and he
always competed, and he always finished. He had some sort
of a crazy record that he completed in so, you know,
completed so many marathons in a row. It was unbelievable. Unbelievable. Bill,
(24:56):
Thank you for you listen to us in Chicago every night.
Out there, I hope we think we're losing our connection.
Are you still there. Bill, Yeah, we lost telling. We
lost him. Thank you for calling. Bill, appreciate it. Let
him know that we lost him there, Brob please that
would be great if you can handle the call from there.
(25:19):
I'm gonna move on, Rob, if you want to take
it down, Okay, that's fine. We lost him. Okay, let
me go next to We're gonna go next to. Let
me go to Joe in Boston. Joe, appreciate your calling.
And I'm surprised more folks aren't jumping tonight to jump
on the lines. Go ahead, Joe. How are you good?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Good evening? Dan, I'm doing great, not much better now
that I'm talking to you. Were you.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
I'm doing great? Were you working that day?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No?
Speaker 8 (25:49):
Actually, Dan, it was a funny day because my grandson
was actually three years old, and then he's a best
friend that was four, and I look into a little
park in Jamaica plane and then because my intention originally
was to get the two kids at.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Three in a four year old with me into the
finish line. However, the four year old that came with
them came with two causes. They were five and six.
Speaker 8 (26:17):
So I say I can handle two kids before is
I don't think I want to handle four kids.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
So I used to in Jamaica plane.
Speaker 8 (26:25):
We were by the Southeast Corridor, by the green Stree
station there, Yark, So we used to.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I used stay with the kids there in then once I.
Speaker 8 (26:37):
Was done with them that I was getting them home,
I heard it on the radio, and I mean I was,
you know, I mean I was numb. I say, he's
not here in Boston. I mean, this cannot be. You know,
I couldn't believe it. But I couldn't have myself found myself.
You know, there were two kids. It would have been
(26:57):
a horrible thing they were.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
There were probably a lot of people there, obviously with children,
and and that's what really first of all, the use
that these guys had the pressure cooker bombs with the
I mean with the ball bearings inside, which it just
intended to name people to take.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
It main people.
Speaker 8 (27:23):
I mean the Martin Martin kids. I mean, oh my goodness,
that kid. I mean that hurt me so about his
sister because his sister was made I mean they yeah,
you was think you're real bad. And I mean, and
I couldn't. I mean, it took me a while. I
guess that must be what they call trauma. Or whatever
(27:46):
I mean, because I couldn't believe it. I refuse to believe,
you know, that I was here in Boston. You know,
it was a horrible experience, horrible horror experience. And then
on my end, other business end that I drive a
lot of people, high end people to and from places.
I actually had any student that I overlooked, a student
(28:10):
that I was taking care of, busy in the parents.
They were calling from Brazil, very wealthy parents. They couldn't
work hold of her, but they got home because they
got my home number. They were able to talk to
me and say, oh no, I talked to the young lady,
she's fine. They flew in a day and a half
later because they were so worried. They flew in private.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Of course, I wasn't able to the restaurants in the city.
Speaker 8 (28:38):
They were all closed because they the restaurants they could
not get the help to call be in and.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Work because the transportation was shut down.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
So I was actually able to manage and get them,
you know, to restaurants of people that I knew that
they were operating, you know, in their experience, was you
know okay, because otherwise, I mean it would have been.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
You know, insane, but it was. It was something to remember.
I always remember that. I always remember that end.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Yeah, it was a day that none of us who
were here will forget. Uh. And again the fact that
it happened in Boston, it's something that we can do
in Boston, in.
Speaker 8 (29:17):
Boston, of all places in Boston. About place I was
actually when the chief started. I was driving through the
bridge the mass have in the bridge to drop off
in Cambridge, and I've never seen so many cards with
brute eyes going on that direction.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
I was returning from Cambridge and there were all kinds.
Speaker 8 (29:40):
Of vehicles going out that way, and it was because
they had the chase going into Watertown that day.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
It was just I mean, it was just so real,
so real.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
We will we will talk soon, Okay, and h the
Red Sox one tonight, Joe after last night. Unbelievable. Yeah,
thanks buddy, Thanks Joe. We'll talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
A man. I appreciate your brother.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
I catch you. I have a great night. Good night. Okay,
we go take a break. Let's fill up these lines
and get everybody in at the end. The only lines
that are open around now. We got two at six, one, seven, two, five, four, ten,
thirty last shot here at your recollection. You're a memory
of the marathon from twenty thirteen. It was twelve years
(30:37):
ago today. You forget about it, but it was. You
forget the date, but you always remember what happened. Feel
free to join the conversation. We will spend two hours
on this tonight. I uh, it's one of those things
that as long as any of us are alive, any
of us are alive, it should never be forgotten. We'll
(30:58):
be back right after this. It's Night Side with Dan
Ray on Boston's news radio. Or have we got room
for everyone? So stay right there. I'll get everybody in,
starting with Larry down to the Cape. Larry next on Nightside,
Welcome back.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Tough subject, Danne, and I can feal your emotions.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Thank you?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
So can you hear me?
Speaker 1 (31:23):
I can hear you find go right ahead?
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Okay. So back in the late sixties, I lived right
in the corner of Brighton AB and Commawealth AB. And
I used to enjoy walking over to Karmouth AB watching
the run has come because they had just finished Hot
Break Hills.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I remember that, Oh, I remember it very well.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
Yeah, yeah, So twelve years ago, I'm at the house.
I'm like in Dennis Sport doing the odd work, and
my wife is sitting in the neighbor's house and there
watching the marathon. She comes running out and she yells
at me and she says, oh my god, oh my god,
you won't believe what happened. Well, my son, as you know,
as a Boston police officer, and we didn't know where
along the course he was positioned. We called the phone,
(32:00):
you didn't answer. We're holding our breast. We're going nuts.
So then she says, we got to get in the car.
We got to get out of here. I said why.
I don't remember this exactly, but she reminded me there
was rumors who were going to blow a ball of bridges,
that they blow up the Sagamore Bridge. We're going to
be stuck on the cape. Jumping the car and we
get in. Finally, after about an hour, we reached my son.
(32:21):
He was positioned in Kenmore Square and he started running
towards towards everything. But he was okay.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
But what a night.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
I'll hang up and listen to everybody else's story.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
So if you were, if you were on Beacon Street
back in the day.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Well out at the corner of Brighton Avs and Karma
and Calma.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Okay, Brighton and Calm. So you were there in the
late sixties.
Speaker 4 (32:47):
Yeah, Demmbro Sound was right next to me, remember them.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Yeah I do.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, yeah, So I'm just looking at the list of
winners here. Amby Burfoot was a winner in sixty eight.
There was a Japanese winner in sixty nine, Yoshi kai
Yu and Natani you know those names. Community and so
you didn't get to the Billy Rodgers races until seventy five.
(33:16):
You get Bill Rodgers had four wins seventy five, seventy eight,
seventy nine, and eighty.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Yeah, he was the man. I just used to like
to watch him. That's five down because they only had
what maybe another couple of miles to the finish line,
so they were a.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
Little more than that. Little more than that. That was
a good four or five miles from there, because the
top of the mark that was about twenty Yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Yeah, No, I was down right at the curve where
curves down over by Buya.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
I think that I watched. I watched I think Rogers
in seventy five. I wasn't working in television at the time.
I didn't start in TV until seventy six, but I
watched Rogers kind of in that location with some friends
in nineteen seventy five when he came by Boston, Billy
(34:03):
Larry got to keep rolling here, Thank you so much.
Is is Jill back safe in Cabul?
Speaker 4 (34:09):
I hope or you know she's here for another two weeks?
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Okay, excellent, excellent. Got to give me a call. Okay, thanks,
talk to you later. I have a great mine ooky
good back. Let me get Laura Lauro Junior in Lynn
Lauro Jr. Welcome back. How are you hey?
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Thank you for the welcome back. I wish your true happiness.
I wish all your listener is true happiness. Joe is
one of my favorite calls.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
She's so cute.
Speaker 5 (34:36):
I was all they all true happiness. So that day
I was I was about to leave my house to
go to that to watch the marathon. I was just
going to go to the finish line. But I was
calling the neshew to see if he wanted to go
to lunch. And he hardly never hangs out with me,
and I told him, Hey, we're going to go to
this restaurant, one of his favorite restaurants, and he's like, okay,
(34:59):
let's go.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
So we went.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
I came back home like around one, I laid down
and arrested it a little bit. My twin sisters texting me,
where are you are you? Okay, well, how are you?
Speaker 4 (35:10):
What's going on?
Speaker 5 (35:10):
I'm over here laying down. My cousin in Ohio too,
said what's going on over there in Boston. I'm like,
I don't know. I'm like, let me put I put
it on the TV. Oh whoa wow, Like that was
like whoa, I cannot believe. I was about you and
my next you said no to me. I was about
to leave out of my apartment to go there that day.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
Yeah, it's just funny how decisions have made, Laura. It's
as simple as that.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Look, I got three more. I got to get to
and call early, and I'll give you much more time. Okay,
thanks Laura, appreciate the memory. Thank you you too. Have
a great night. Okay, gonna try to get three and
let me go first to Pete and Revere. Pete next
on nightside. You've called a little late, go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (35:53):
Pete just came out to pay my taxes. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
but I'm gonna get the two wammies for you. Okay,
On that particular day, my son is a professional clown,
and he was doing a job for Big Corporation and
the Mandarin at the end of the building and the
(36:13):
windows right across the street. With the second one went off.
We heard the first one, but he was by the
window being curious. He put his face on the window
to look to the right, and bingo, the second one
went off and the here's the good thing. Most of
the blast hit the building. That restaurant was destroyed. If
you don't know, at the whole front of the restaurant,
the cover of the pressure cooker took off like a
(36:37):
frisbee right toward him. He watched it almost he went
straight up and landed on the roof of the Mandarin,
eight eight stories high.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
All right, never knew that.
Speaker 7 (36:46):
Yeah, Now, when it's over, they threw everybody out. How
would you like to be running or not running but
walking dressed as a clown?
Speaker 3 (36:55):
All right?
Speaker 7 (36:55):
Top the bottom?
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Oh my god?
Speaker 7 (36:57):
Yeah, where's here's the best time. He carries a tank
of gas to blow up balloons. It's a balloom specialist.
It's a bigger than a fifty two. If if you
don't about underwater tanks.
Speaker 5 (37:09):
All right.
Speaker 7 (37:09):
Now he's walking with a tank, dressed like a clown.
And if you remember, the front page of every magazine
and the newspaper showed Boston cops running around with guns
up because they don't know what to do a where
to go?
Speaker 3 (37:21):
All right?
Speaker 7 (37:22):
I told him. He called me. I said, quick, take
go back to the south end, right run down. There's
a big, big liquor store. I said, just stay in there.
They give you any trouble, attach yourself to a pipe.
I said, I'll be there shortly, and and I went
to pick him up.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
Good for you.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Talk about timing, Pete, I got.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
I hate to do this to your man. You called late,
but I got two other folks.
Speaker 7 (37:43):
I got to give you something to hear you boys,
all right. A friend of yours said, hey.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Call more off and I know who this is. All right, Pete,
thank you much. Doct you assume Rick and Bill Rick
and Ricky got to help me out and be quick?
Speaker 9 (37:57):
Yeah? Absolutely. I was leave my friend's house in South Dartmouth.
I saw him for the weekend, and I was on
the highway at the time that I heard it, and
I was listening to b Z radio, which I've been
listening to since nineteen ninety two when I was at
Framingham State College, so I heard it there and then
I had to when I worked for the town of
(38:18):
Bedford as a custodian, I had to clean the depot
bathroom and then that's where I went after that, and
I wasn't able to see it on TV until later on.
But later on that week, I remember cleaning the bathroom.
I cleaned it a couple of times a week, I
think a Monday and a Friday or something, and this
woman was freaking out because there's an if sworn caught
yet and she was she was walking around that where
(38:41):
I was cleaning the bed and she goes, I'm so scared,
and I told her to relax. Everything's going to be okay.
They're going to catch them and you're gonna be able.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
And they have the.
Speaker 9 (38:49):
Shootout the night before anyway, but she was freaked out,
and I just remember telling her everything's going to be okay.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
You just well, that's your voice of reason, that's for sure. Rick,
I got to get one more in here. Would you
please call a little earlier, say I give you more time, thanks, Matt.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
I tried I'll call.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Talk to you later. Okay. Scott is in every Scott
next on Nightside. I got about twenty seconds for you, Scott.
What can you do with it?
Speaker 5 (39:14):
None of the bombing at the race.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
I was homeless, living in a cow listening to it
on A ten thirty.
Speaker 5 (39:19):
And my personal about that they you both die?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Your personal what my personal thought that is?
Speaker 5 (39:30):
You're both be executed.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Yeah, I'm with you. On thatt I'm told, well, one
has already gone, he's gone to his reward or whatever.
Let's put the other guy in the same place. Scott.
I appreciate it. Thank you very much. To the callers
on the line, I apologize, but I'm flat out of time,
flat out of time. Done for the night. Rob, Please
explain to them they got to call earlier. All dogs,
all cats, all pets go to heaven. That's my pal
(39:54):
Charlie Rays, who passed fifteen years ago in February. That's
where all your pets are her past. They loved you
and you love them. I do believe you'll see them again.
Hope to see you in tomorrow night on Nightside. Everyone
want to thank Rob, want to thank Marita, want to
thank all the calls even those who called late, and
I'd ripe to remind you have a great Wednesday. Everybody
will see you tomorrow night. I will be on night
(40:15):
Side on Facebook Nightside with Dan Ray on Facebook in
about two minutes. I'll see you there. Thanks. Everyone, be safe.
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