University holds moment of silence, tribute walk for Boston victims after bombing attack

On Monday afternoon terror struck one of the largest marathons in the United States. Near the finish line of the Boston Marathon two bombs erupted in quick succession.

The bombs, just blocks apart, injured more than 180 people and left three dead, including racers and bystanders.

When Michelle Burrus, marketing director of Senior Health and Rehabilitation Center of Wichita Falls, saw the event she knew she had to do something. When she got home from work and saw friends posting about the event on Facebook she realized she was not alone.

“Everyone wanted to do something, but no one knew what,” Burrus said.

She then posted an event on Facebook, with a time and place for people to meet and say a little prayer for the ones involved in the incident.

Kim Ferris, portfolio accountant at Sentry Management, saw the Facebook event on Monday night after she got home from walking at Sikes Lake.

“When I was running I just started praying for the families, firefighter, victims and runners,” Ferris said. “When I got home and saw the event I knew this was something that I could do.”

Around 20 people gathered Tuesday at Sikes Lake for a moment of silence and a lap or two around the track. Burrus said she was satisfied with the turn out, because she had only posted the event on Monday night and realized some people were just getting off work.

“When I heard it, I was like ‘wow, what would drive someone to do that,’” said Wendy Frederick, a junior in accounting and finance. “I couldn’t bring myself to watch the news. I felt for their families and the ones injured.”