HOUSTON – Three people died when two bombs went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon four years ago this month.
Nearly 300 people were hurt. That included Heather Abbott. She said, "It's always a bittersweet day. Because there certainly are a lot of bad memories associated with it."
She was a spectator at the finish line when the bombs exploded. She came to Houston to speak at The Health Museum. Each table was decorated with prosthetics. These advances in medicine helped Heather move on.
Abbott said, "It involved a lot of accepting what I couldn't change. Relying on other people for support. Particularly people who had been through what I went through. And then taking an opportunity to pay it forward."
An explosion blew her into the entrance of a restaurant. Her left leg was amputated below the knee. Recovery meant relying on others. She said, "Trying to talk to other people who have had success and learning from them has been very helpful."
She shared her secrets for never stopping. Since the bombing, she started the Heather Abbott Foundation. She is also a peer counselor for the American Amputee Coalition.
The Health Museum President and CEO Dr. Melanie Johnson said, "Never count us out. That no matter how tough it gets or what circumstances life may place us in that we are always in the game."