Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2014 | Page 14

Four Alumnae Run for Life
blasts and plumes of smoke rose up into the air. Then
a surreal type of organized chaos took over as medical staff ran towards the blast and spectators joined
runners on the course to get past the finish line and
out of the area. The first injured were brought to the
medical tent where Lisa and Karen were.” In order to
allow medical vehicles to access the wounded, the four
women joined other volunteers who cleared Boylston
Street of the thousands of water bottles stacked on
pallets. Lisa, Angela, Karen and Lara doled out hugs,
calmed panicked teenagers, gave away the coats off
their backs, and did whatever they could to help.

Four alums, who had
reconnected with each
other around fitness and
race training, secured
the coveted volunteer job
as security for the finish
line at the 2013 Boston
Marathon. Lisa Labonte
‘81, Angela Coulombe
‘82, Karen Lanois Fortier ‘85, and Lara Howe
Favreau ‘89 were thrilled
to assume responsibilities, such as escorting
superstar runners like
Joan Benoit Samuleson
to the VIP tent. But it
was 2013 and the terror
they experienced at the
Boston Marathon finish
line would change their
lives. They describe the
Marathon bombing this
way:

Following the bombing, the four women tried to
make sense of their experience. They did not want the
bombing to be their last time together at the finish
line; they were determined to run the following year
in the 2014 Boston Marathon.
Thanks to the Boston One Fund, the 2014 race opened
up spots for runners willing to write a 250-word
essay explaining how the events of the prior year had
impacted them. Lisa and Karen, who had not achieved
qualifying times, submitted essays. In December 2013
they learned that all four women would have the opportunity to run the 2014 Boston Marathon together!

“Confusion and fear
gripped the [Marathon
finish line] crowd as the
ground shook from the

In their interview on WCSH 207 TV after the race,
they described how the Boston crowd lining the
streets for over 26 miles carried them the long distance and up the steep hills. “The crowds, the people,
the cheering. It was electric!” You can watch their
interview at:

(From left to right) Lara Howe Favreau ‘89, Lisa Labonte
‘81, Angela Coulombe ‘82, and Karen Lanoix Fortier
‘85 (above): “We took on the 2014 Boston Marathon to
pay homage to those who fight on with determination,
bravery, hope and courage, embodying the spirit of
not only the marathon, but also Thornton Academy!”
The four alumnae honored those who died at the 2013

http://www.wcsh6.com/story/life/2014/04/22/marathon-women-post-run/8009367/

Boys Soccer Alumni Game
Homecoming is one of the best times
to come back to TA and on Saturday,
October 4th, eleven alumni boys soccer
players made it back to Hill Stadium to
take on this year’s varsity team. It was a
fun morning but, unfortunately, did not
end in a win for the alumni!

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POSTSCRIPTS