Pain constant for family of Boston bombing victim

• The second of the two bombs detonated within feet of the Richard family
• Martin Richard%2C 8%2C was killed
• Martin%27s sister%2C mother and father were among the 264 injured

Boston erupted in bliss when the Red Sox won the World Series. But the Richard family was left with one thought: "Martin would have loved this."

Martin Richard, 8, stood on the fence along the finish line of the Boston Marathon, cheering on the runners with his parents, Bill and Denise, his 7-year-old sister, Jane, and his 11-year-old brother, Henry.

Toes dangling over the curb, hands clapping, voices cheering on the runners – the Richard family wasn't there to root for anyone in particular, just to be a part of the action. For Martin, dubbed "a sports nut" and "encyclopedia of sports," this was the place to be.

The second of the two bombs detonated within feet of the Richard family. Martin was killed. Jane, an Irish step dancer since the age of 4, lost her leg. Bill has significant hearing loss. Denise lost vision in one eye. "Henry, for reasons no one can explain doesn't have a scratch on him – but only physically," says Larry Marchese, a close friend of the family who has spoken on their behalf since the attack. The family declined to be interviewed.

Of the 30 mass killings in 2013, five were in public places. James Alan Fox, Professor of Criminology at Northeastern University and co-author of Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder, says that although public killings are not the most common, they are the most prominent in the public eye.

"Much more common are family annihilations," Fox says. "But people believe they can identify that that would be a possibility in their own home. The thing about mass shootings in public places is that there is no warning. A movie theater. A shopping mall. A school."

Seventy-seven percent of mass killings involve a gun as the primary weapon. About 90% of public killings do. Besides the bomb at the Boston Marathon, arson and a vehicle have been used to kill large numbers of people in public places since 2006.

For the Richard family, the Boston Marathon was an unlikely a place for tragedy.

After the twin bombings, which left three dead and 264 injured, a picture of Martin smiling and holding a blue poster board with the message "No more hurting people" became an iconic image of the tragedy.

The Boston marathon bombing is considered a mass killing because the suspects also shot a police officer to death, bringing the total dead to four.

Martin "was a kid who when there was a disagreement in dodge ball, he smoothed it over," Marchese says. "When there was a problem at recess, Martin focused everyone on the common ground."

Since the attack, the Richards have made very few public appearances. "The loss of Martin for the Richards is heartbreaking, and it leaves scars that will absolutely never heal," Marchese says. "It tears their heart out, and nothing is ever going to make it right."

Though the Richards have kept to themselves, the community of Dorchester, Mass., Boston and the nation have continued to pour in support.

Hundreds of supporters attended a memorial Mass on June 9 honoring Martin's 9th birthday at the Richard family's church, St. Ann Parish in Dorchester.

People ran the New York Marathon, the Chicago Marathon and the Baltimore Half Marathon in Martin's honor, some accepting donations to give to the family.

Before Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park, Jane stood on her new prosthetic leg to sing the national anthem with a group of children from St. Ann Parish.

She was hospitalized in the ICU at Boston Children's Hospital for 39 days, where she underwent 12 surgeries. It was weeks after the bombing that Jane woke up and her parents had to tell her what had happened.

"After not being able to communicate with Jane for the first two weeks, she woke up with difficult questions that needed to be answered," the Richards posted on their website. "There are not words to describe how hard sharing this heartbreaking news was on all of us."

Dance Schools across the country have put on events to raise money for Jane's recovery. Irish dance schools performed at Irish pubs for nationwide events called "Dance Out for Jane." Jane's school, Clifden Academy of Irish Dance, performed at the event in Boston.

"The family is always told when events or tributes are going on, and they appreciate it very much," Marchese says. "But not a day goes by that something doesn't remind them that they have lost their son. Nothing makes it right."

On the last Saturday in April, Martin would have stepped on to the baseball field on opening day, the first Savin Hill Little League game of the season. Instead, the team had to play without him. Little League teams all over the country, from Texas to California, honored Martin at their games.

Mike Christopher coached Martin's team. Even when he was just getting to know the Richards, he says, "they treated me like family."

When Christopher found out Martin had been killed, he couldn't believe it. "How could it be him?" he says. "It's still hitting me. Eight months later, it's just surreal."

Because of his skill, Martin often got to play pitcher or first baseman, always proud to be a Savin Hill Ranger.

"Even though he was one of the youngest kids on the team, he was one of our best," Christopher says. "He just had a finesse about him. That kid was going to be a phenomenal athlete, the real deal."

Christopher says Martin's family was the perfect Little League family. "At the drop of a dime, they'd do anything you need. They were always around, especially the little daughter – always around. Just good, neighborhood people."

In a widely circulated picture of the scene of the bombing, Martin and his family lean along the fence feet away from the alleged bomber. "That picture of the guy dropping the bag and the family there together, just cheering – it captures the family so well. It's just brutal," Christopher says.

"While we have made progress with our physical injuries, the emotional pain seems every bit as new as it was four months ago," the Richard family posted on their blog in August. "An hour doesn't go by that we don't feel the agony of Martin's death and the senseless way it came about."

Martin and Jane attended the Neighborhood House Charter where their mother, Denise, served as school librarian. "They are a wonderful family and represent the very best this city has to offer," Headmaster Kevin Andrews said in a statement. "He was a bright, energetic young boy who had big dreams and high hopes for his future. We are heartbroken by this loss."