Gay Hero Featured on Sports Illustrated’s Boston Marathon Cover

In the now iconic photo, gay officer Javier Pagan rushes to the aid of a downed runner.

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The one source of solace after yesterday’s tragic happenings in Boston is the unwavering show of support and aid that came from those not immediately affected by the bomb — from racers and bystanders to nurses and EMT personnel.

The new, already-iconic cover of Sports Illustrated pays homage to those who risked their lives to help victims, showing three policemen running to the aid of a downed marathoner, and the Dallas Voice reports that one of those officers is gay.

The article states that Officer Javier Pagan (far right in the photo) — the Boston Police Department’s liaison to the LGBTQ community — was standing behind the flags when the bomb went off. So far, Pagan hasn’t released any statements about his experience, but the man who snapped the photo, The Boston Globe‘s John Tlumacki, describes the scene here.

Check out the rest of the Dallas Voice article, which includes links to a profile of Pagan in New England LGBTQ publication Bay Windows.

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