
[Music] in 2013 my dad ran the Columbus marathon
in 2013 my dad ran the Columbus marathon
in 2013 my dad ran the Columbus marathon to qualify for the Boston Marathon now
to qualify for the Boston Marathon now
to qualify for the Boston Marathon now my dad’s been running these marathons
my dad’s been running these marathons
my dad’s been running these marathons especially the Boston and normally since
especially the Boston and normally since
especially the Boston and normally since before I was even born so it wasn’t
before I was even born so it wasn’t
before I was even born so it wasn’t really a shock that he made it that here
really a shock that he made it that here
really a shock that he made it that here so he’s been practicing and during that
so he’s been practicing and during that
so he’s been practicing and during that time I made him a little goodie bag in
time I made him a little goodie bag in
time I made him a little goodie bag in April and and in April I gave him the
April and and in April I gave him the
April and and in April I gave him the little goodie bag I hugged him I said
little goodie bag I hugged him I said
little goodie bag I hugged him I said good luck and he was off on April 15th
good luck and he was off on April 15th
good luck and he was off on April 15th 2013 I was called out of my math class
2013 I was called out of my math class
2013 I was called out of my math class at school to answer a phone call from my
at school to answer a phone call from my
at school to answer a phone call from my mom and as I was walking through the
mom and as I was walking through the
mom and as I was walking through the hallways to answer that call I knew deep
hallways to answer that call I knew deep
hallways to answer that call I knew deep down something wasn’t quite right and so
down something wasn’t quite right and so
down something wasn’t quite right and so my suspicions were confirmed when I
my suspicions were confirmed when I
my suspicions were confirmed when I answered the call so when I got into the
answered the call so when I got into the
answered the call so when I got into the office I picked up the phone and my mom
office I picked up the phone and my mom
office I picked up the phone and my mom told me that there was a bombing at the
told me that there was a bombing at the
told me that there was a bombing at the marathon and we hadn’t heard from my dad
marathon and we hadn’t heard from my dad
marathon and we hadn’t heard from my dad yet and during that time when I was
yet and during that time when I was
yet and during that time when I was waiting to hear from my dad I didn’t
waiting to hear from my dad I didn’t
waiting to hear from my dad I didn’t know what to do I didn’t know what to
know what to do I didn’t know what to
know what to do I didn’t know what to say I was just frozen it was a it was as
say I was just frozen it was a it was as
say I was just frozen it was a it was as if time had frozen and it was suspended
if time had frozen and it was suspended
if time had frozen and it was suspended over my head and rewound I just didn’t
over my head and rewound I just didn’t
over my head and rewound I just didn’t know what to do
know what to do
know what to do but I was one of the lucky ones I heard
but I was one of the lucky ones I heard
but I was one of the lucky ones I heard from my dad he was okay and he was safe
from my dad he was okay and he was safe
from my dad he was okay and he was safe and unharmed at a coffee shop and so
and unharmed at a coffee shop and so
and unharmed at a coffee shop and so eventually like moved on as if it never
eventually like moved on as if it never
eventually like moved on as if it never really happened I mean although it was
really happened I mean although it was
really happened I mean although it was horrible and really scary to go through
horrible and really scary to go through
horrible and really scary to go through I mean nothing like that would happen
I mean nothing like that would happen
I mean nothing like that would happen again we were one of the lucky ones we
again we were one of the lucky ones we
again we were one of the lucky ones we had him back at home and nothing like
had him back at home and nothing like
had him back at home and nothing like that would happen right but it did a few
that would happen right but it did a few
that would happen right but it did a few years later three years later on
years later three years later on
years later three years later on November 28 2016 I was bombarded with
November 28 2016 I was bombarded with
November 28 2016 I was bombarded with text after text after text message
text after text after text message
text after text after text message during one of my literature classes from
during one of my literature classes from
during one of my literature classes from my mom and eventually my dad about
my mom and eventually my dad about
my mom and eventually my dad about trouble on the Ohio State University
trouble on the Ohio State University
trouble on the Ohio State University campus and you have to keep in mind I
campus and you have to keep in mind I
campus and you have to keep in mind I was kind of sneaking my phone out of my
was kind of sneaking my phone out of my
was kind of sneaking my phone out of my pocket so I wasn’t getting the complete
pocket so I wasn’t getting the complete
pocket so I wasn’t getting the complete story I didn’t know what was happening I
story I didn’t know what was happening I
story I didn’t know what was happening I didn’t know exactly where my dad was
didn’t know exactly where my dad was
didn’t know exactly where my dad was when this was happening I was only
when this was happening I was only
when this was happening I was only getting snippy
getting snippy
getting snippy it’s from my text messages in complete
it’s from my text messages in complete
it’s from my text messages in complete sentences I didn’t know the full story
sentences I didn’t know the full story
sentences I didn’t know the full story so throughout the day that day at school
so throughout the day that day at school
so throughout the day that day at school I was learning from other people about
I was learning from other people about
I was learning from other people about what happened and I just felt so sad
what happened and I just felt so sad
what happened and I just felt so sad that my dad had to go through another
that my dad had to go through another
that my dad had to go through another experience like that so close only three
experience like that so close only three
experience like that so close only three years after the Boston Marathon and did
years after the Boston Marathon and did
years after the Boston Marathon and did the same person like what’s the
the same person like what’s the
the same person like what’s the coincidence and so this really got me
coincidence and so this really got me
coincidence and so this really got me thinking this can happen to anyone at
thinking this can happen to anyone at
thinking this can happen to anyone at anytime so according to an article that
anytime so according to an article that
anytime so according to an article that I read on terror trends analyzing 40
I read on terror trends analyzing 40
I read on terror trends analyzing 40 years worth of data on terror trends
years worth of data on terror trends
years worth of data on terror trends both international and domestic
both international and domestic
both international and domestic terrorism through 1969 to 2009 around
terrorism through 1969 to 2009 around
terrorism through 1969 to 2009 around 5600 people lost their lives and more
5600 people lost their lives and more
5600 people lost their lives and more than 16,000 300 people were injured due
than 16,000 300 people were injured due
than 16,000 300 people were injured due to international tourism directed at the
to international tourism directed at the
to international tourism directed at the United States and this really goes to
United States and this really goes to
United States and this really goes to show that it can really happen to anyone
show that it can really happen to anyone
show that it can really happen to anyone because throughout this time it’s only
because throughout this time it’s only
because throughout this time it’s only increased since 2009
increased since 2009
increased since 2009 and throughout this experience this is
and throughout this experience this is
and throughout this experience this is what I’ve learned in general although we
what I’ve learned in general although we
what I’ve learned in general although we live in a constant fear because our
live in a constant fear because our
live in a constant fear because our world we live in a world in which we are
world we live in a world in which we are
world we live in a world in which we are under constant threat of terrorism and
under constant threat of terrorism and
under constant threat of terrorism and violence but we don’t always have to
violence but we don’t always have to
violence but we don’t always have to live in a constant fear I’ve been
live in a constant fear I’ve been
live in a constant fear I’ve been interested in pursuing a law enforcement
interested in pursuing a law enforcement
interested in pursuing a law enforcement career since I was so young but these
career since I was so young but these
career since I was so young but these experiences although they were tragic
experiences although they were tragic
experiences although they were tragic they really honed my experience and they
they really honed my experience and they
they really honed my experience and they really inspired me to go into
really inspired me to go into
really inspired me to go into counterterrorism and that’s what I plan
counterterrorism and that’s what I plan
counterterrorism and that’s what I plan to do
to do
to do and so these experiences really taught
and so these experiences really taught
and so these experiences really taught me that we have to take action rather
me that we have to take action rather
me that we have to take action rather than letting our fear trap us in a
than letting our fear trap us in a
than letting our fear trap us in a bubble and we can really recover from
bubble and we can really recover from
bubble and we can really recover from anything
”
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