WESTFIELD – Approximately 94 perent of Westfield State University students come from Massachusetts – 50 percent from east of Worcester.
On Friday morning some of these students from Middlesex and Suffolk counties shared their reactions to the violent week unfolding in their respective hometowns.
Cleston Flemming, a junior from Dorchester, was shocked by the timing of the bombings at the marathon.
“Of all the places in Boston, they had to do it for the marathon,” he said, “I mean, I live 20 minutes away (from downtown), so it’s crazy for this to happen so close.”
The idea of such a tragedy occurring in such close proximity to home has been the common thread that has tied so many of these student accounts together.
“I never thought I’d see the day my city got attacked, and although I didn’t know anyone who was killed or injured, it still hits home,” said sophomore Jalila Cartwright, also of Dorchester, “The marathon is supposed to be a joyous event that brings in people from all over.”
“I don’t know what to say. It’s just sad that someone could do that with no remorse to anyone’s life, especially a child’s.” said Thomas Fernandes, a freshman from Hyde Park, in reference to Martin Richard, the eight-year-old Dorchester boy who was one of three people killed in the bombings on Monday.
Students from the inner-most Boston suburbs are also saddened by the tragedy at the marathon and by the violence currently occurring next door to them in Cambridge and Watertown, where more bombs have been detonated and a police officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been slain as officials pursued the men suspected of perpetrating the bombings.
“I’m not big on social media, but on Monday, it was one of my biggest assets,” said senior Michael Oliveri of Waltham, “Living so close to the city, there were many people I knew either running or watching the marathon. Since the phones were shut down, it was impossible to keep in touch with everyone. All in all, a real scary experience.”
“I had different emotions about the events because of how close it was,” said sophomore Danny Anderson of Newton, “I had some friends running the marathon, and I just wanted my family and friends to be safe. I want the second brother to be caught and to serve his time. I’m just praying they find him.”
Sarah Goldman, another sophomore from Newton who attended Newton North High school with Anderson, recalled the terrifying marathon day which she witnessed firsthand.
“It was horrible,” recanted Goldman, “I have a runner in the marathon who we watch around mile 18 and who I usually run mile 25 with and was unable to finish the race this year. Just the thought that she could’ve been hurt if her pace had been faster… I can’t believe someone would do that (plant the bombs).”
As the country unites and rallies behind Boston, Westfield State has also pledged it’s full support to the student body, with public safety, administrative offices and the university’s counseling center all being made available to students in need of support. The school even held a prayer vigil on the campus green Wednesday night for the victims of the tragedy.
“This is a terrible blow to Boston, the Commonwealth and to all of us at WSU who celebrate this wonderful and tradition-rich event that is the Boston Marathon. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with the whole WSU community.” said Suzanna Adams, associate director of the counseling center, in a statement released on Thursday.
Students have also expressed anger and frustration in the media’s handling of the tragedies.
“There seemed to an automatic assumption that the suspect they were questioning was a young Arab student from Saudi Arabia,” said Gabby Camacho, a junior from Roxbury, “Why couldn’t the assumption be made that it could’ve been anyone, not just someone from the Middle East?”
Those students who have been involved in the event themselves seem to be taking it harder than most.
“Living in the city and having participated in the event, it’s very hard to be at school and not at home with my family,” said Tyson Price-Mercer, a senior from the Mission Hill section of Roxbury, “Boston is a beautiful city that means no harm to anyone, which is why we’ve been able to have such an event for the last 117 years. It’s just sad that it takes someone who doesn’t know the tradition to mess with tradition.”
As the world watches and waits for the second suspect to be caught and brought to justice, Westfield State is hanging tough and providing a shoulder for its student body to lean and cry on.
“No one would’ve thought something so horrid would happen,” Cartwright said, “But Boston is strong and I have hope.”
