Martin Richard was just 8 years old when he died in a bomb blast near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. His sister, Jane, lost her left leg and now walks on a prosthetic. His mother, Denise, lost her sight in one eye, and his father, Bill, still struggles with hearing loss.
In the days after the bombing, a photo emerged of Martin holding a sign that said "No more hurting people -- Peace" circulated all over the Internet. To honor that message, Martin's parents created a charity in memory of their son: The Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation, also known as Team MR8. So far, it has raised more than $938,000 to invest in education, athletics and community. And in this year's marathon, 100 team members are racing for the organization.
"Everybody has such a goal to get to the finish line," said Bob Cleary, one of MR8's team members. "And we'll have Martin with us."
Cleary's son, 9-year-old Nolan Cleary, is still learning to cope with Martin's death. The two boys were best friends. Below, he remembers Martin in his own words.
If you'd like to donate to Team MR8, please visit their official fundraising website.