On the eve of the 118th running of the Boston Marathon, the Boston Red Sox became a theater of hope for the victims of the marathons bombing last year.

The marathon itself will have a near record 36,000 entrants and, on Sunday, the Red Sox played host to the ceremony for all of Boston to remember and believe that everything will return to normal one day. The Red Sox public address announcer Henry Mahegan opened the ceremony with some touching words for the crowd.

"With their work as our backdrop, we'll now take a moment to remember those who lost their lives and salute those who saved our lives and to thank those who helped us heal,”

"We will embrace those who are walking again," Mahegan said, "and those who are running again.”

Mahegan spoke for all the people who were killed or hurt in the attacks, followed by David Ortiz catching the ceremonial first pitch from One Fund Boston president Jim Gallagher. One Fund Boston has raised over $80 million for victims of the attacks and their families as of the one year anniversary.

Mahegan closed out the ceremony echoing what Ortiz himself spoke of last year only days after the attacks.

"It was here, that we had a great philosopher say 'this is our ... city. No one is going to dictate our freedom.' Well, at least that was part of what he said.

"In the year that has passed, our passion for a town and our compassion for our people have only made us stronger.”

[Quotes via ESPN]

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