WBUR Oral History Project: Victoria McGrath. Clip 1
Title
WBUR Oral History Project: Victoria McGrath. Clip 1
Creator
McGrath, Victoria (Interviewee)
Contributor
Guberman, Jayne (Interviewer)
Girdharry, Kristi (Recordist)
McDonough, Ryan (Contributor)
Girdharry, Kristi (Recordist)
McDonough, Ryan (Contributor)
Language
English
Date created
November 13, 2013
Type of resource
Sound recording
Genre
Interviews
Oral histories (document genres)
Oral histories (document genres)
Format
Sound Recording
Digital origin
born digital
Abstract/Description
Countless lives were affected by the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and their
aftermath. The WBUR Oral History Project collects stories from individuals whose lives were
immediately and irrevocably changed by these events. Thanks to the generous sponsorship
of WBUR, our team of oral historians, and the participation of these interview subjects, Our
Marathon has tried to ensure that these stories are not forgotten. We believe that these
stories matter, and that they demonstrate the ways historical events transform the lives of
the people who lived through them. Oral historians Jayne K. Guberman, Ph.D., and Joanna Shea
O'Brien conducted the interviews for this project. Oral History Project Manager Kristi
Girdharry, Our Marathon Project Co-Director Jim McGrath, and Community Outreach Lead Joanne
DeCaro recorded the interviews and provided research assistance and post-interview processing.
McGrath and Our Marathon Audio Technician Ryan McDonough provided sound editing and processing
for all of the interviews and clips. The opinions and statements expressed in interviews and
related content featured in the WBUR Oral History Project do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of Our Marathon, WBUR, Northeastern University, or any employees or volunteers
affiliated with these institutions and projects. Our Marathon and The WBUR Oral History
project make no assertions about the veracity of statements made by participants in this
project. Victoria McGrath is a Northeastern University student who was critically injured in
the attacks. A finance major who grew up in Paris and London, Victoria chose Northeastern for
its diverse student body. She attended the Boston Marathon with a close friend and her
parents. They met up with the parents' friends, the Corcorans, in front of Marathon Sports,
where they were waiting to cheer for Celeste Corcoran's sister as she crossed the finish line.
Minutes later the first bomb exploded. Victoria describes her memories of the explosion and
its immediate aftermath, when strangers rushed to help her: putting on tourniquets, carrying
her to the medical tent, and keeping her calm as medics worked to stabilize her. Alicia
Shambo, one of the medics, accompanied her in the ambulance to Tufts Medical Center. Victoria
describes her experiences in the hospital during her first eleven-day stay, and her return to
her parents' home in Connecticut for a prolonged period of recuperation. She endured two
further surgeries and intensive physical therapy, as her leg healed and she learned to walk
again. She returned to Northeastern in the fall to resume her studies. Victoria describes the
tremendous support she and her family received from people and institutions. She describes the
four people who initially saved her life as a second family for her. She also singles out
Mayor Menino and other city officials, who created opportunities for the survivors to come
together, as well as Northeastern University, which has been a "model institution" in their
support. Victoria also notes Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, particularly the importance of
their weekly support group that provided an opportunity to be with others who have gone
through similar experiences. Victoria also discusses the role of her Christian faith and
church community in sustaining her, as well as the Weston, Connecticut community, that has
come together to support her and her family. Victoria received many quilts and blankets as
gifts from around the world; one with "Boston Strong" hangs on the wall in her apartment.
While she draws strength from seeing "Boston Strong" all around her, she is also aware of what
she calls its "frustrating connotations." Although the survivors have often been held up as
exemplars of strength and courage, she explains that they also feel weak at times. She notes
that six months is actually a short period in terms of recovery from traumatic injuries. Many
survivors are facing more surgeries, some have not yet received their prosthetic limbs, and
all are still adjusting to their changed lives. In spite of these challenges, Victoria
recognizes how this experience has forced her to grow. The weakness is temporary, she has
learned, but the experiences overall have made her a stronger person. They have also caused
her to re-evaluate her goals in life. Rather than going into finance, she now hopes to become
a nurse. "I look up to the people who saved me," she said, "and I would like to be that person
some day." Update: In March 2016, Victoria McGrath was tragically killed in a car accident in
the United Arab Emirates. Priscilla Perez Torres, a classmate, was also
killed.
Notes
The opinions and statements expressed in interviews and related
content featured in the WBUR Oral History Project do not necessarily reflect the opinions of
Our Marathon, WBUR, Northeastern University, or any employees or volunteers affiliated with
these institutions and projects. Our Marathon and The WBUR Oral History project make no
assertions about the veracity of statements made by participants in this project.
Source note
The WBUR Oral History Project. Victoria McGrath (Oral History),
Jayne Guberman (Oral Historian), Kristi Girdharry (Recorder), Ryan McDonough (Sound Editing
and Processing)
Related item
Our Marathon The Boston Bombing Digital Archive
Subjects and keywords
Boston Marathon Bombing, Boston, Mass., 2013
Permanent URL
Location
Northeastern University Library
Use and reproduction
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Requests for permission to publish material should be addressed to Northeastern University Library's Digital Scholarship Group (dsg@neu.edu).