Jessica Kensky Downes had her day in the sun in more ways than one Wednesday.
Kensky and her husband Patrick Downes were both severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombings of 2013, and their inspiring journey brought them to JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla., where they threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Red Sox spring training game.
The couple both lost their left legs in the explosions at the Boston Marathon finish line almost two years ago, and Kensky lost parts of both legs. Kensky needed her left leg amputated and recently decided it was necessary to have the right leg amputated, too. According to NBC-2 in Florida, it was Kensky’s first time walking as a double-amputee.
“This leg I lost at the bombing, and this one I tried to save for almost a year. Â I just amputated it,” she told NBC-2. Â “First time walking on two prosthetic legs.”
On Wednesday, she was front and center in the middle of the diamond, with Downes helping Kensky to throw out the first pitch to Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino.
[mlbvideo id=”58891283″ width=”640″ height=”360″ /]
The couple has had a busy year. They were married shortly before the 2014 Marathon and fearlessly returned to the Marathon not long after — as competitors. The two rolled across the finish line together in the wheelchair portion of the race last April.
