Local runners in Boston share their stories
We are hearing more terrifying stories out of Boston tonight from local runners and spectators.
Los Olivos resident Michelle Griffoul was in Boston cheering on her boyfriend. He had just crossed the finish line.
She was on the phone with him trying to coordinate a meeting spot, when two bombs exploded. The line went dead, and people around her panicked.
“All of a sudden waves of thousands of people started screaming and running through the mall and through the food court, and people started knocking each other over. It was total chaos,” she said.
Griffoul was able to make it back to her hotel. That’s where she had to wait to find out whether her boyfriend was ok.
“I knew he had finished the marathon, and we were both close to the explosion, but I didn’t know how close he was,” Griffoul said.
An agonizing 45 minutes later, he showed up.
The couple is among more than 30 people from the Santa Barbara area in Boston for the marathon.
Nancy Kaplan had just completed the 26.2 miles when she heard the explosions.
“We’re devastated. We just finished running, and so many people were just ecstatic with what they’ve done, and they still don’t know where there family and their friends are. There are many people extremely upset right now,” said Kaplan.
She was ushered back to her hotel along with thousands of others. They were forced to simply watch and wait to learn whether their friends were safe.
“They just immediately sealed the area. So all people are standing in hotel rooms trying to find out themselves,” Kaplan said.
Both Kaplan and Griffoul say they have to wait until they are allowed to return home.
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