The Long Journey to HealCELESTE CORCORAN FROM LOWELL, MASS. WAS STANDING WITH HER DAUGHTER SYDNEY, 18, ON THE SIDEWALK OF BOYLSTON STREET NEAR THE BOSTON MARATHON FINISH LINE WHEN THE FIRST BOMB EXPLODED NEXT TO THEM. HER HUSBAND KEVIN WAS NOT INJURED AND USED HIS BELT TO STOP THE BLEEDING IN HER LEGS. CELESTE LOST BOTH LEGS AND SYDNEY NEARLY BLED TO DEATH FROM A SEVERED FERMORAL ARTERY IN HER THEIGH. THROUGH MONTHS OF RECOVERY AND PHYSICAL THERAPY, BOTH ARE WALKING. CELESTE IS ON HER SECOND SET OF PROSTHETICS AND SYDNEY IS ABLE TO HELP HER MOTHER THROUGH HER RECOVERY. THE BOMBING HAS LEFT AN IMPACT ON THE FAMILY AS CELESTE AND SYDNEY TO COPE WITH THEIR “NEW NORMAL” AS CELESTE CALLS IT.

Boston-5/03/13-Celeste Corcoran worked hard in physical therapy doing leg lifts at Spaulding Rehab Hospital. She had to wait for her legs to heal before getting fitted for prosthetics. She was determined at this point to return to “the new normal” as she called it.