Israel Matzav

Second Boston victim identified

29-year old Krystle Campbell of Medford, Massachusetts has been identified as the second victim of the Boston Marathon terror attack.

Her father, William A. Campbell Jr., told Yahoo News he's in shock that his daughter was killed.

"My daughter was the most lovable girl. She helped everybody, and I'm just so shocked right now. We're just devastated," he said. "She was a wonderful, wonderful girl. Always willing to lend a hand."

Campbell was at the finish line with a friend, Karen Rand, to cheer on her boyfriend, who was running the race. William Campbell said he doesn't know if Rand's boyfriend finished the race before the bombs went off.

Karen Rand survived, but was in surgery for her serious injuries through Monday night. Cheryl Rand Engelhardt, Karen Rand's sister-in-law, wrote on Facebook that Krystle's parents at first believed that Karen was their daughter, and that she had survived the attack, because Karen was carrying Krystle's ID. Krystle's family was finally ushered into Karen's hospital room after one of her leg surgeries by hospital staff, only to discover their daughter's friend instead of Krystle. Krystle was then declared missing, and the family found out on Tuesday she was among the dead.

For survivors, this is the worst part of the aftermath of a terror attack. You keep hoping and praying that no one you know is among the victims. It's very painful if someone is. And losing a child - God forbid - is probably the most emotionally painful thing that a person can go through. I can only hope and pray that the third victim is not another young person whose parents will be in the unnatural position of having to grieve for them.

Labels: Boston, Boston Marathon, Islamic terrorism, terror victims

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:36 AM