"It's every runners dream to run Boston," said Joe Curcio.
Curcio has lived out that dream.
He is 64 years old now but he caught the running bug in his 20s and it all started with the Boston Marathon. It was the spirit of it all that inspired him to run
"I didn't see the marathon but I saw everything that was going on the whole state and city was about the marathon," said Curcio.
The Chalfont native has run in the Boston Marathon eight times, including the one on April 15, 2013
"You know where the hills are, you know where the crowds are," said Curcio.
He was there with his fiancé Dolly who was also running.
That spring day when the bombings rocked Boston, Curcio was right there at the finish line
Curcio could be seen on video sprinting towards the finish line when he is knocked off of his stride by the explosion. He puts his hands up, looking back as the first bomb sounded.
"All the race officials sprang into action, they're pulling us through the finish line, 'Come on! Come on!' but I wanted to go back and look for her," said Curcio.
Three people died from the blasts and 260 were hurt.
One year later Curcio realizes he escaped death.
"We all have a purpose why we're here. Whatever that purpose is I haven't finished it yet and I guess that's why I'm still here," said Curcio.
Despite what happened Curcio is going back and will run in the Boston Marathon this weekend. It has him full of emotion
"I'm wondering how I'm going to feel as I turn down Commonwealth Avenue and I know I gotta run down Bolyston Street," said Curcio.
Curcio says over the past year he has purposely tried not to think about the bombings--but with the big race just days away, it's hard not to.
