I started my journey to the 2014 Boston Marathon Finish Line on April 15th, 2013, just a few hours after terror ripped through our city. While still stuck in Boston, scared, angry, cold, confused, tired – you name it – I boldly announced to my family that I would return to finish the marathon in 2014.

I was determined to finish what I started. But what began purely as a personal mission, born from feeling cheated out of achieving something I had worked so long and hard for, took on a much larger purpose. It was no longer about me, but about turning something really, really awful, into something really, really great. It was about honoring the memory of the victims and the strength of the survivors. And for me, as a mother of two small children close to Martin’s age, it was especially important to honor the memory of that day’s youngest victim, Martin Richard.

In January, 2014, 100 runners were selected to run 26.2 miles wearing Martin Richard’s name, number and message of peace. I was honored to have been one of them. On April 21, 2014, Team MR8 – 100 strong – ran in the 2014 Boston Marathon and carried Martin’s wish for peace with us every step of the way from Hopkinton to Boston. And Martin was with us all – I am certain of that. From the beautiful blue skies, to the daffodils blooming along the marathon route, to the woman in the Athlete’s Village who stopped me and asked for my picture because of the name on my shirt, to the hundreds of times I heard strangers cheering for me because I wore Martin’s name – I could feel his presence everywhere.

To the Richard family, I continue to be inspired by your strength, courage and grace. No family should ever have to endure what you’ve had to. I thank you for allowing me this opportunity to be part of Team MR8 and entrusting me to be an ambassador for Martin’s message of peace. Martin’s life was cut too short but I hope you find some measure of peace in knowing that he has touched the lives of many, and has already made the world a better place.

To my Team MR8 teammates, we came together in January as strangers with a common goal to spread Martin’s message of peace. I now consider many of you to be friends. We all came with our own unique and special reasons for running for Martin, and for that reason alone I think we will always be connected. Martin was known for bringing people together and even though he is no longer with us, he is still bringing people together. Thank you for sharing your stories and this experience with me.

To my family and friends, thank you – for all of your love and support over the last four months, for supporting my fundraising, for taking this journey with me, and for allowing me to grieve and heal in my own way. I could not have done it without each and every one of you. Together we have raised over $10K for the Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation, and we should all be so very proud of that.

It’s been a long year, filled with so many emotions. But on April 21, 2014, we ran, we finished the race, we healed a little more, we showed the strength and resiliency of the human spirit, and we brought peace back to Boston.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that” – Martin Luther King, Jr.