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South Salem Runner Escapes Injury At Boston Marathon

LEWISBORO, N.Y. – Boston Marathoner Pete D’Urso of South Salem was at Mile 23 of the 26-mile course when he got a phone call from his daughter, Amelia, 11, who was supposed to meet him near the finish line.

South Salem resident Pete D'Urso, pictured at the Boston Marathon with his daughters Julia and Amelia, is home safe with his family.

South Salem resident Pete D'Urso, pictured at the Boston Marathon with his daughters Julia and Amelia, is home safe with his family.

Photo Credit: Pete D'Urso

“She was crying. She said she heard an explosion and saw some smoke,” he said. “I didn’t know what she was talking about.”

He had last seen Amelia, his younger daughter, Julia, 9, and a friend, Tyler, at Mile 17. “It’s traditional for your supporters to meet you at mileposts along the way,” he explained.

D’Urso had no idea that bombs had exploded near the Marathon finish line, killing three and injuring more than 150 people. He thought Amelia might have lost touch with Julia and Tyler. “I’ll be there as fast as I can,” he said.

He had been taking it easy because he was still suffering from a leg injury, but he picked up his speed. When police stepped in and halted the runners, however, D’Urso realized “something major” had happened.

“I felt cold and disoriented,” he said, but his immediate goal was to find his family and friend. Text messaging united them at last at a Dunkin Donuts near the corner of Boylston Street and Massachusetts Avenue.

Next, they had to get to their hotel, outside Boston. “It was impossible to get out of the area,” D’Urso said. “It was absolute chaos. We had to walk another five or six miles and we finally got to a T station that was open.”

So the Boston public transport system finally deposited the four of them near their hotel, where they decided they would check out and go home.

D’Urso telephoned The Daily Voice from his car Monday night en route to Westchester. “The girls are asleep in the back seat,” he said. “As it turned out,” he concluded, “we were in the wrong place at the right time.”

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