Celeste and Sydney Corcoran nearly lost their lives when two homemade bombs transformed the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon into a scene of chaos and confusion.
Celeste, Sydney’s mother, lost both of her legs as a result, and Sydney suffered a hole in her right foot and had to have a vein graft to repair a torn femoral artery.
While the Corcoran family is still learning to live what Celeste calls the “new normal,” they’ve been dealing with the adjustments in the best way possible and with the support of their community.
“I’m getting more and more comfortable in my new skin,” Celeste told FOXSports.com. “This is my reality, and as our lives go on, things start to feel more normal. I start to feel like I can handle it. … Every little bit of my independence that I get back makes me feel less handicapped and more like my old self, even though I know I’ll never be completely like my old self again.”
Celeste has had to take on the burden of learning to live with prosthetic legs, but the blow was softened thanks to the nonprofit 50 Legs, which helps amputees get quality prosthetics they might not otherwise be able to afford.
Her new legs have greatly increased her mobility, but she doesn’t want the visual impact of her injuries to make her daughter’s wounds look superficial or any less grievous.
“Everybody immediately sees my amputations and it’s so glaringly obvious, and I get all the attention,” Celeste said. “No one sees Sydney’s pain. Everyone thinks that she’s just back to normal.”
Sydney has had to learn to live with nerve damage and deal with the post-traumatic stress stemming from the marathon bombings, but she’s attending Merrimack College on a full scholarship given by M/A-COM Technology Solutions and recovering as best she can.
While the past year has undoubtedly been tough, the Corcorans plan to attend the 2014 Boston Marathon and cheer on Celeste’s sister, who never got to finish the race last year.
It will be an emotional and, at times, difficult day, but the Corcorans’ presence will be a prime example of how strength and resiliency can overcome even the worst evil.
Photo via Facebook/Celeste & Sydney Support Page
