The brother of Boston Marathon bombing victim Martin Richard crossed the finish line of the world-famous road race yesterday for the very first time.
Henry Richard was among the 28,000-plus racers to complete the 126th Boston Marathon on Monday.
However, the event held a particularly special significance for 20-year-old Henry after his brother Martin was tragically killed in the 2013 terror attack.
Martin - who would have turned 18 this year - was just eight years old when the lost his life in the bombing.
Towards the end of the 2013 race, two homemade pressure-cooker bombs were detonated near the finish line, killing three people and injuring hundreds more. Victims included both competitors and those cheering them on in the crowd.
Since Martin's tragic death, his parents Bill and Denise have set up a foundation in his honor. According to its website, the organization works "to advance Martin’s values of sportsmanship, inclusion, kindness, and peace by investing in programs that encourage young people to celebrate diversity and engage as community leaders."
The foundation has been sending a team of runners representing Martin to the marathon for several years. This year, they were joined on the 26.2-mile run by Martin's big brother Henry for the first time.
"Good luck to all running this year's marathon!" the foundation wrote in an Instagram post prior to the race. "Keep your eyes out for all those representing the Martin Richard Foundation, especially Martin's brother, Henry Richard," the caption added.
Henry finished the run around 3:00PM. Speaking to NBC Boston after he had crossed the finish line, he said that the athletic achievement had been "years in the making".
"I'm just so glad I could finally be here," he said. "So much emotion. I know Martin would have been doing it with me... I did it for both of us."
Henry went on to say that he hopes this isn't the last time he'll be running the Boston marathon, and that he has plans to race again in the future.
"I love this city and I couldn't be more grateful to them," he told the news outlet.
