For these Boston Marathon bombing survivors, the road to healing meant helping others
Ten years after the Boston Marathon bombing killed three and injured hundreds, those who survived the day are still healing.
Paul Norden and Jacqui Webb were among the thousands watching, standing with friends. Webb told CBS News that she remembered the first moments of the attack.
"We were waiting for our friend to run by and we heard the first blast go off," Webbs said. "You saw what was a mushroom cloud. I turned to start going towards the street, and I remember the barricade being there and thinking like, 'How am I going to hop that?' And that's when the second blast went off."
Webb and Norden were right next to the second bomb. Webb's injuries took months to recover from, and because she was near the tree, there was debris and bark that took half a dozen surgeries to remove. Webb's care was in part covered by donations from the Greg Hill Foundation, an organization that helps New England families touched by tragedy.
"They came to my hospital within 48 hours and had a check, and that I think was the most impactful gesture that happened the entire marathon bombing. That's what I think of all the time," Webb said.
Meanwhile, Norden lost his right leg above the knee and was in a coma for eight days. His brother, also attending the marathon, lost his leg below the knee.
For Webb and Norden, the past decade has included recovery, the establishment of their own charitable foundation and the birth of their first child, Ella. In a stunning coincidence, the nurse who delivered Ella turned out to be a familiar face: She had helped treat Webb's injuries on the day of the marathon.
"(Ella) is my world, man. It's really just - you can't even put into words what she means," Norden said. "She's just so special and brightens our day every day. It's beyond a blessing to have her."
Now, the pair are expecting their second child, a girl, due in September.
"We're excited," Webb said.
Their Webb Norden Foundation also impacts their lives every day. The charitable organization works to help children and young adults who have been involved in a traumatic event, offering access to resources like the ones Webb and Norden benefitted from.
"I think hands down, that made the biggest difference in our recovery," Webb said. "I think even just it being Paul, myself, his brother and our group of friends — it was so easy to go and speak to somebody else, or they could, you know, normalize a feeling for you. My heart breaks for people that do that alone, because I think that there is strength in numbers in there that you just can't explain to other people."
While they've made a lot of progress in their recovery, the couple says they have never returned to the marathon in person, instead watching the event on television. Webb said she felt "mixed emotions" about the 10-year mark.
"We're obviously very grateful for everything that's come after that, but yes, there's always nerves around every marathon, especially this one, with it being a big anniversary," Webb said. "But, you know, we'll get through it."
