Boston Marathon bombing survivor to speak at La Crosse YMCA

Part of Y’s Evening of Inspiration series

He lost his legs at the Boston Marathon bombing and lives to tell the story. 

Jeff Bauman will do just that at the La Crosse YMCA’s Evening of Inspiration on Wednesday night, as well as at Onalaska High School in the afternoon.

YMCA executive director Bill Soper says reaching out like that is key to the organization’s mission.

“Our emphasis on mental health awareness and substance abuse awareness, we’ve brought in a variety of speakers,” he said. “We think it’s important for young people in this community to hear those messages.”

Not only did Bauman survive the marathon bombing but he was also key in helping law enforcement track the bombing suspects. 

It’s that type of inspirational message that really seems to connect with kids, Soper believes.

“That’s been, really, the coolest thing about this,” Soper said, “seeing those connections made and kids feeling like, ‘I’m not alone in this. There is support for me.'”

Evening of Inspiration is the Y’s annual fundraising event that helps, in part, to support the organization’s Community Teen Center. There are no seats available for Wednesday’s event.

Past speakers have included Fresno State standout point guard Chris Herren, who was drafted by the Boston Celtics, but had been battling drug addiction, and Blake Leeper, who was born a bilateral below-the-knee amputee, and went on to become the first American Paralympian to run in the able-bodied Olympic Games.