Boston Marathon survivors find their second chance

April 15, 2013 was supposed to be a day about achievement. Instead it has become a day tarnished by a cruel act of terrorism. From that tragedy emerged stories of heroism and sacrifice. In the past year, the Boston Marathon survivors have become the representation of hope. It is at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital where some of these survivors have found their second chance.

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital is a 262,000 square foot, 132 bed patient-centered facility located in Boston. Under the leadership of Cara Brickley, Jess Guilbert, Dr. David Crandell and David Storto, Spaulding has been able to successfully treat 33 survivors for inpatient and outpatient care over the course of the year.

The group has logged over 1,500 hours of rehab therapy. Many of the survivors who thought that they faced a life bound to a wheelchair, are now walking through the use of prosthetics. These images tell their stories of survival and remind us that no matter how broken things may seem, there is always a second chance if you open your eyes. Within a sports world filled with negative headlines there will always be stories like this to remind you that the human spirit is a beautiful thing.

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital is honored to have 100 runners taking part in the 118th Boston Marathon as part of Spaulding's Race for Rehab team. The team is comprised of former patients, former patient's family members, Spaulding staff, community leaders, and rehabilitation advocates. The goal of the team this year is to raise $750,000 for Spaulding. For more information on getting involved, visit their team website.