The AC360 Weekly Buzz: Boston strong

Stories of heroism, strength, and solidarity have poured out in the aftermath of the explosions that shook the Boston Marathon on April 15 killing three and injuring more than 260. Since that day, Anderson Cooper has been reporting from Boston and has met with remarkable survivors and courageous bystanders who took action.

Anderson spoke to a dance instructor, Adrianne Haslet-Davis, who is determined to get back on the dance floor after losing her left foot. She was thrown in the air from the blast and crawled to a nearby bar with her husband where a stranger tried to use belts as tourniquets to stop the bleeding. Both Adrianne and her husband, Air Force Capt. Adam Davis, are angry about what happened, but they are optimistic about their future: “I am defiant and I want to come out stronger,” she told Anderson. Haslet-Davis was one of at least 14 who are now amputees because of last week’s blasts.

Matt Patterson, a firefighter and paramedic who was off-duty the day of the attack, was sitting at a nearby restaurant and immediately rushed to the scene. He saw a dazed 7-year-old girl who had lost most of her left leg and used a belt as a tourniquet to stop the blood loss. After he found a medic to take her to the hospital, he returned to the scene and performed CPR on the girl’s 8-year-old brother, Martin Richard. Unfortunately, he did not survive. The little boy was the youngest victim to die in the attack.

Joe Berti has a remarkable story. He witnessed the Boston bombings and the deadly West, Texas fire and explosionat a fertilizer plant just two days later. CNN’s Gary Tuchman spoke to Berti and his wife about the frightening experiences.

Dr. David Schoenfeld described what it was like to work in the Beth Israel ER where each suspect was taken for treatment. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was brought there after the gun fight with police in Watertown, Mass. and later died. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was taken to the hospital after law enforcement found him in a boat and apprehended him. Dr. Schoenfeld was especially proud of the first responders, off-duty health care professionals and civilians who “made a difference” and saved the lives of the innocent victims in the marathon attack. “I’m proud to live in a city of heroes,” he said.

After Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was taken into custody last Friday, stories from people who knew the suspects started painting a picture of the brothers' past and what could have motivated them. Marvin Salazar knew one of the victims, Krystle Campbell, and suspect #2. He said Campbell was one of his favorite managers at the restaurant where they worked together. “She had a smile everywhere she went,” he said. Salazar played soccer and walked home from school with Dzhokar Tsarnaev. He describes him as “a great kid” and says he wasn’t “expecting something like this to happen.”

After the bombing it was clear that Boston was a city united. Rev. Liz Walker talked to Anderson about the strength of the community and the triumph of the human spirit.

Find out how you can help victims of the attack: How to Help 

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