Last fall I was contacted by a woman named Diane. Diane wanted to interview me about my Boston Marathon experience for a book she was working on. The theme of the book was strangers helping others on April 15, 2013.
I was immediately intrigued by this project and loved the theme. This book was about the good, not the evil. Love, not hate.
Diane and I had at least an hour long talk about my experience, as well as her Boston experience. Diana was at the finish of the race when the bombs went off. Something that I cannot even imagine being a part of. Talking to Diana and sharing experiences together was the best therapy session I had. It was so different to talk to someone that knew exactly what you were feeling, because they felt it too. I did many interviews about my Boston experience, but none were like this. Diane and I shared a bond.
I remember telling her about how hard it was for me to come home from Boston and return to “life as usual”. I could not get away from Boston. Wherever I went, people wanted to talk about it. Whenever I turned on the TV, I would go straight to CNN. When I was alone by myself, I would cry because I was still so sad. It was always with me, and very few people in my life understood that.
Diane told me that she struggled for quite awhile after Boston, and going back to normal life was very difficult for her too. I remember her telling me that she would get upset when people would try to talk to about something else, which is exactly how I felt. How could people think about anything else when Boston was the ONLY thing I could think about?
When I hung up the phone with Diane, I felt like a weight was lifted. Finally someone “got me” and felt the same as I did. This interview was truly a therapeutic experience, even 6 months after the race.
Last month, I received my copy of “If Not for the Perfect Stranger”. This book is full of stories of courage, love, hope, and strength. People in Boston all became family that day. We all stood together and helped each other. I am so lucky to have been helped by my Perfect Strangers. Without them, who knows how different my day would have been.
This book is a great way to learn about the goodness that happened on April 15, 2013. Through terror, love prevailed. And these pages are packed full of those amazing stories. Yes, you might cry reading this, but it is worth it. So many incredible people were among us that day, and this book pays tribute to those that truly deserve it.
My story is one of a few that was featured on their website. It is available here.
Where to buy:
- The book website
- Amazon
- Boston area Barnes and Nobel Stores
xoxo,
Ali
miles with style 