Response to the Boston Tragedy: Glimpses of Goodness

A day drenched with violence and death when bomb blasts near the finish line of the Boston Marathon had resulted by late Monday in the deaths of at least three people and injured more than 100. 

But this is not a grim story of death; this is about the response. What people said and did.

In a tweet, Alexandra Hall ‏@AlexHallEditor said what many were feeling: "Can't believe this is happening to my city, filled with the sweetest, most generous & unassuming souls I've ever met. #wtf "

A Westborough, MA Patch blogger wrote about how "Boston will be back." Warning: the piece will bring tears to your eyes. 

In Waltham, a Boston suburb: two prayer services will be held Tuesday for victims of the Boston Marathon violence. 

Cynthia Maloney, also of Waltham, responded to a Watertown Patch callout, and offered a place to stay for anyone stranded by Monday's violence. She wrote: "I've got plenty of room and would be honored to help out." Same with Rebecca Fiarman of Jamaica Plain: "Anyone who needs a place to stay in Boston, PLEASE ASK!"

Google was even more organized, offering forms to match up people who need place to stay and those offering a place to stay.

Aid groups offered help. 

A suburb of St. Louis, Kirkwood, Missouri, sent prayers to Boston via Kirkwood Patch. Same with Woodinville Patch, in the metropolitan Seattle area.

A Brighton woman shares how she is praying about two friends she hasn't yet been able to track down who had planned to watch the end of the race.

Twitter was rich in response and so were blood donors:

RedCrossEasternMA @RedCrossEastMA: Due to the generosity of our donors we don't need blood at this time. Please schedule for a future donation http://redcrossblood.org   #marathon

Gabrielle Giffords        ✔ @GabbyGiffords tweeted: So sad about the violence today in Boston at such a wonderful community tradition. Keeping all effected by today's tragedy in my thoughts

Dave Cutler tweeted a photo of an email he got from JetBlue and wrote: Classy email from classy brand @JetBlue re: today's bombing & assistance with travel plans. Well done.

From Huffington Post: It Only Brings People Closer'

"At first we thought that baseball game had fired a cannon, but then we saw the first responders," said Arkady Hagopian, 33, to HuffPost over the phone. He was about two or three blocks away from the explosion with two other friends who had had run the race with him. Their first instinct was to look for the other members of their group, whom they were able to find after 20 minutes.

"Whoever did this is trying to break people's spirits, but it's not going to happen," he continued. "It only brings people closer." A second-time Boston marathoner, 33-year-old Hagopian added, "I was on the fence, but now it's definite. I will sign up next year." -- Anna Almendrala, HuffPost LA.

Even the White House offered support. In a Monday evening news conference: 

“The American people will say a prayer for Boston tonight,” said Pres. Barack Obama. “All Americans stand with the people of Boston."

What glimpses of goodness did you see in the response to Monday's outrage?