Staff Editorial: Acts of valor from all walks of life

Sadly familiar heartbreak blanketed our country on Monday following the Boston Marathon. An explosion rocked the area adjacent to the main viewing stands three hours after winners had broken the finish line tape. A second bomb followed soon after. The Boston Police Department confirmed that the bombs were responsible for the mayhem caused. Three people were killed onsite, one of whom was an 8-year-old boy, and at least 144 people were injured, some severely.

Not only were new wounds made, but old wounds were opened from our nation's history. The last mile of the marathon, where the bombs went off, was dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, 2012.

Boston Athletic Association President Joanne Flaminio said before the race that the finish line held a "special significance" because the marathon was 26.2 miles long and 26 people lost their lives at the elementary school.

This inexplicable violence in an unexpected place was categorized as an "act of terrorism" by President Barack Obama during a press conference on Monday. Despite the affiliations and intentions of the culprit, within a city wrought with terror, numerous heroes emerged.

Restaurants in the area fed locals and runners, even if they could not pay for the food. Boston locals posted hundreds of entries on an online document, offering to provide shelter and transportation to those who needed it.

Google created a tool called "Person Finder" to help people find their loved ones in the area.

Some runners reportedly continued running past the finish line to the hospitals in the area to give blood to victims. So many people rushed to donate blood that the Red Cross had to turn some away. Four months after the Newtown massacre, which Obama has used as an example when addressing needed gun control, this recent attack will undoubtedly serve as a catalyst for increased public security. Locally, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will increase patrols to create a more visible presence where people congregate, such as government buildings, shopping centers, athletic events and public transit, said Sheriff Lee Baca in a press statement.

While the media has implied that this attack will open up the nation to a barrage of terrorist attacks in the future, the show of solidarity by Bostonians is heartwarming in the wake of such an unexpected crisis.

Rather than play into the hands of those who orchestrated the attack, our society has come together against the forces of evil.

For every person that looks to tear another down, there are a thousand more looking to bring them back up.