Nurses on the Frontline at the Boston Marathon

Our thoughts are with all those affected by this week’s tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon. Throughout the week, stories of heroes have emerged – from the runners who kept running to the hospital to donate blood, to the brave first responders and nurses who ran towards the blast instead of away. Here are a few stories of the nurses affected by the attack: 

Nurses Mobilize into Trauma Team at Boston Marathon 

One nurse manning the medical tent at the Boston Marathon quickly went from treating twisted ankles to life-threatening injuries following Monday’s bombing. "My training prepared me for what to do, but nothing can ever really prepare you for what you see,” said nurse Stephen Segatore. “No one expects to work at the Boston Marathon and end up at a terrorist attack.” Read more on CNN.com. 

Nurse Jessica Kensky Among Those Injured in Boston Marathon Bombing 

Newlywed Jessica Kensky, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, was among those injured in the blast at the Boston Marathon this week. She and her husband both lost their left leg below the knee, according to a family friend. Jessica is a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. Read more from the Boston Globe.

First-Year Nurse Rises to the Occasion in Marathon Medical Tent 

Alix Coletta, a nurse less than a year out of nursing school, faced a gruesome scene while working in the medical tent of the Boston Marathon. Coletta fought back her initial shock and began tending to the injured. "When people came in, we used coats, belts, anything we could to stop the bleeding," she says. Read more from USA Today.

Heroes Emerge from the Wreckage of Boston Attack 

After the bombs went off, many people came to the aid of the injured, helping in the time before medical crews responded. "The people on the street, the sidewalk volunteers, instead of running away, they stopped and fell and worked the people,” said Dr. Allan Panter. “It was all that an ER physician could ask for.” Read more from NBCNews. 

By Molly Mattison