THIS man ran in support of the Newtown massacre victims. Now he will never run again.

In December 2012 Adam Lanza pulled on military-style clothing and shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown.



Once inside he systematically murdered 26 victims, including 20 children with a Bushmaster .223-calibre rifle before taking his own life with a Glock 10mm handgun.

The Boston Marathon was dedicated to the victims of that attack. The race was 26.2 miles long. One mile for each of the 26 victims. Before the race began there was 26 seconds of silence for the victims.

Survivors and families were invited to watch the race from the VIP area close to the finishing line. It is not yet known if any of them were injured in the explosions.

A banner marking the final mile carrying a dedication to Sandy Hook still flies in the wind above scattered debris and blood stains.

Among the runners was a group called Newtown Strong – a group of Newtown parents taking part to raise money for local charities.

"In the first 20 miles we're honouring the 20 Sandy Hook first graders," Laura Nowacki, a spokeswoman for Newtown Strong, explained to WBUR Boston.



"When we crest Heartbreak Hill, and we're coming back towards Boston, we run the final six for our six fallen educators, including their lives, to protect our children."

As runners reached the finish line, a bomb went off. Photos taken minutes after showing his mangled legs were posted on Twitter with the hash tag #prayforBoston.

Jake Heyes was one of dozens who tweeted and re-tweeted his picture. He wrote: "This man ran for the Newton kids and now he may never run again".

The double tragedy will not be lost on America.