Tragedy and triumph: Red Sox send a message about the Boston Marathon bombing

The Boston streets were flooded with athletes, supporters and officials on April 15, 2013. Excitement ran like electricity through the anxious crowd. They were all waiting for the starting gun to go off, commencing the 117th annual Boston Marathon. 

The Boston Marathon is a wildly popular event, clocking in as the world’s oldest annual marathon. According to the Boston Athletic Association, the race “ranks as one of the world’s most prestigious road racing events.” 

As a bunch of runners began to cross the finish line, the crowd erupted into cheers. Yet, the excitement quickly turned into terror. At 2:49 p.m., the first bomb exploded, and only 14 seconds later, another bomb went off. 

Immediately following the bombing, people fled the streets, but runners continued to race. Eight minutes after the first bomb exploded, the Boston Marathon ended, and over 5,700 runners weren't able to finish what they started. 

The explosions killed three spectators and injured 281 others. Out of these casualties, 14 people required amputations. 

For the next few days, police examined the bombing site, and citizens were advised to stay inside and not answer their doors. 

Additionally, almost all public transportation was suspended, and many schools and businesses closed until further notice. 

With the help of witnesses and surveillance cameras, on April 19, the police tracked down the suspects: brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. 

Early that morning, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar were located and began firing at the police. The police fired back, and Tamerlan was severely injured by the gunshots. He was captured and died at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center less than an hour later. 

Though Dzhokhar also suffered a few gunshot wounds, he managed to get away. The police continued their search for him. 

Later that night, resident David Henneberry noticed something suspicious. There was a loose tarp on his boat, and a body lying inside it, surrounded by blood. 

Henneberry immediately contacted authorities. The police surrounded the boat, and Dzhokhar was captured. 

Dzhokhar was tried, found guilt and is currently behind bars in Florence, Colorado. His prison records show that his release date is classified as "death sentence." 

Of course Boston found peace after the Tsarnaev brothers were found, but that alone did not mend their wounds. The city had still faced a tragedy. 

However, Boston began to feel a sense of normality again when their Major League Baseball team the Red Sox resumed their season on April 20 against the Kansas City Royals. 

Before the game, Red Sox legend David Ortiz rallied his team with a pregame speech. According to wcvb.com, the speech ended with "this is our city, ain't nobody going to dictate our freedom! Stay strong!"

Ortiz's speech worked, because the Red Sox defeated the visitors 4-3. And with that win, the city of Boston had found something to celebrate for the first time since the bombing. 

From that point forward, the Red Sox continued to dominate the MLB. As wcvb.com puts it, "that emotional victory [against Kansas City] sparked Boston's championship run that season." 

The Red Sox went on to defeat the Saint Louis Cardinal 4-2 in the World Series, claiming their eighth franchise title. 

The Red Sox's World Series title in 2013 wasn't just about baseball, though. It was about sending a message to Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. 

While these brothers may have ruined the Boston Marathon, the Red Sox showed them it would take a lot more to destroy their spirits. 

Before the 2014 MLB season, president Barack Obama invited the Boston Red Sox to the White House to congratulate them on their World Series title. 

In his speech, accessible on archives.gov, Obama notes, after the Boston Marathon bombing, "Boston stood resolute and unbowed and unbroken…. And as the smoke cleared, we gained inspiration."

"It was a drive to do more for the city that had their backs that took them on to win in the World Series." 

The 2013 Boston Red Sox may not go down in history for having the most impressive season, but it should go down as the most inspirational season.