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Carlos Arredondo Hailed As Hero For Bombing Response

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Carlos Arredondo, center, helps wheel an injured man, now identified as  Jeff Bauman, 27. He had a double amputation at Boston Medical Center. (Charles Krupa/AP)
Carlos Arredondo, center, helps wheel an injured man, now identified as Jeff Bauman, 27. He had a double amputation at Boston Medical Center. The photo has been cropped to hide the severity of Bauman's injuries. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Carlos Arredondo is "the man in the cowboy hat" from the now-famous photo taken after the explosions at the Boston Marathon on Monday.

A photo of Alex and Brian. (Courtesy of the Arrendondo Family)
Alex and Brian Arredondo are pictured in a family photo. (Courtesy Arredondo family)

He's also seen in Boston Globe sports producer Steve Silva's video from the scene, fighting his way through the barriers alongside the marathon route to reach a gravely injured man (go to 1:50 to see him).

Arredondo was at the Boston Marathon to support "Tough Ruckers" - military members who run in full military gear to honor fallen comrades.

His son, Alex, died in Iraq in 2004. When marines came to deliver that news to Arredondo, he locked himself in his van and set it on fire. Those marines rescued him.

Arredondo would also lose his only other son, Brian, who never got over the loss of his brother and committed suicide at the age of 24.

Arredondo could not save his sons' lives, but on Monday he saved someone else's.

The gravely injured man in the photo is 27-year-old Jeff Bauman. He had to have both lower legs amputated, but his father says he's recovering.

Note: After the show we received word that the local youth hockey program in Concord, N.H., where Bauman's parents live, is raising money for the family. You can see more information here, or make a donation here.

Guest:

  • Carlos Arredondo, peace activist who helped rescue victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

This segment aired on April 18, 2013.

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