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Bridgewater State Unveils Sculpture Of Youngest Marathon Victim

A life-size sculpture of Martin Richard, the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon bombing, is unveiled at Bridgewater State University on Saturday. (Kassandra Sundt/WBUR)
A life-size sculpture of Martin Richard, the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon bombing, is unveiled at Bridgewater State University on Saturday. (Kassandra Sundt/WBUR)

A life-size sculpture of the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon bombing has been unveiled at Bridgewater State University.

The sculpture of 8-year-old Martin Richard is artist Victoria Guerina's representation of a well-known image of Martin holding a poster he made that read, "No More Hurting People ... Peace."

Martin's sister Jane Richard, who lost a leg in the bombing, sang with a church youth choir during Saturday's ceremony.

Bill Richard, Martin's father, said he hopes that the statue gives Martin a chance to "make an impression on those who walk by."

"Maybe his message resonates with some," Richard said. "Perhaps it inspires our young people today to get involved, and make smart choices."

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the ceremony and unveiling of the statue was very moving.

"It's Martin. It captures everything about him in that sculpture," Walsh said. "He lives on in sending a message."

The sculpture stands in a pedestrian greenway linking the school's east and west campus.

The Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice was named last spring at Bridgewater State, where his parents, Bill and Denise Richard, met.

Martin was one of three people killed in the 2013 bombings.

With reporting by WBUR's Kassandra Sundt and The Associated Press 

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