Echoes of the Past

The 2025 Boston Marathon marked a poignant return for the Zito family, 12 years after the tragic events of 2013. Isabella Zito, alongside her father, Jamie Zito, completed the race, turning a page on a shared trauma.

In 2013, Isabella, then nine years old, waited with her family for her father to cross the finish line when the bombs detonated. What began as a day of anticipation quickly turned into a nightmare.

A Day of Terror

As they tracked Jamie’s progress,expecting him to finish any minute,the first explosion ripped through the air. Isabella initially mistook it for fireworks, but the second blast confirmed her mother’s fears.

Amidst the chaos, her mother ushered Isabella and her younger sister into the Boston Public Library, seeking safety. Though, rumors of further explosives prompted a desperate escape.

Jamie, held back in Kenmore Square, one mile from the finish line, desperately tried to reach his family. He feared the worst and raced to find them as soon as he could.

The Aftermath

The Boston Marathon bombing claimed the lives of three individuals: Krystle Marie Campbell, Lingzi Lu, and 8-year-old Martin Richard. More than 260 others sustained injuries, with at least 17 losing limbs.

Fortunately, the Zito family escaped serious injury. Upon reuniting, Jamie declared, One day we’re going to run this together. We’re not going to let this take us down.

A promise Fulfilled

On April 21, 2025, Isabella and jamie Zito crossed the finish line together, fulfilling a promise made 12 years prior. They ran to fundraise for the Special Olympics, adding another layer of purpose to their journey.

Isabella, now a 21-year-old senior at Northeastern University, shared her motivation for returning to the marathon: I wanted to run it to show you can do the hard thing. These things can’t take you down. we can’t allow these things to overpower and scare us. we need to stand up to them.

Running Together

Isabella admitted to initial apprehension about keeping pace with her father and a lingering sense of fear. however, running alongside Jamie proved to be a source of strength.

It was emotional. Before we got to the start line, we both started crying, isabella recounted. We made this promise to each other 12 years ago, and we were finally doing it. I cried the whole last three miles as it was both hard and really emotional.

The return to Boylston Street was notably significant for Isabella. For a long time, I couldn’t go back to Boylston Street as it was a traumatic place to go. When I came to college here in Boston, my whole first year, I went home that year for the marathon. I couldn’t stay in the city.Now, fast forward three years, and I ran the marathon.

Overcoming Trauma

Crossing the finish line brought back memories of the 2013 tragedy, but Isabella refused to be defeated by it.

I blacked out for the last five minutes, but after I crossed the finish line, I was super emotional as running a marathon is hard and emotional, she said.

I have a connection to it and thought, ‘This broke me down, but I didn’t let it break me forever.’ I was able to come back and overcome it, which was emotional for me. I cried for 30 minutes after.

In a symbolic display of unity, the father-daughter duo finished the race at the exact same time.

TikTok Post

Isabella shared her journey on TikTok, capturing the emotional weight and triumph of the marathon.

FAQ

• Who ran the 2025 Boston Marathon? Isabella Zito and her father, Jamie Zito, ran the 2025 Boston Marathon.
• Why was the 2025 marathon significant for the zito family? It marked their return to the marathon 12 years after the 2013 bombing, where they were present.
• What was Isabella Zito’s motivation for running? She wanted to demonstrate resilience and overcome the trauma associated with the 2013 bombing.