The 1996 Olympics brought Danny Bourgeois to Atlanta. The Louisiana native was working in a hospitality area and was a block away when a deadly explosion ripped through Centennial Olympic Park, killing two people and injuring more than 100.
Nearly 17 years later after the Atlanta attack that ultimately sent bomber Eric Robert Rudolph to prison for life, Bourgeois was in Boston for Monday’s marathon when, again, a fatal blast caused death and injury.
“Bringing back memories,” said Bourgeois, who now lives in Marietta with his wife and children.
As with the Olympics, business took him to Boston. He is the marketing director of the 2014 Louisiana Marathon, and he and race director Craig Sweeney had headed north to promote their event. As with the Atlanta incident, Bourgeois reacted to the Boston bombing with “shock that someone would want to take such a peaceful time, a celebration of international unity, and ruin it.”
And as with Atlanta, Bourgeois was barely out of harm’s way when the ground shook under his feet and fire filled the air.
“Moments prior to the explosion, we were at the Marathon Sports running store where the explosion took place,” he said. “After watching and filming the elite runners, we decided to leave early for the airport.”
Bourgeois said Monday’s blast will likely mean stepped-up security and communications at his event and others like it, but he doesn’t expect participation to drop off.
“I expect more people to run events in the future,” he said, “to show force and not let the cowards win.”
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