BOSTON (WHDH) — On paper they are Class 52-13, but they will always be known as the Marathon Class.
The sea of blue was still in the academy on Marathon Monday, but they were immediately activated to help in the days following the bombings.
For one officer, April 15 was very close to being much more tragic — Ryan Connolly’s mother was injured in the bombings. His sister was running that day.
“Concerned about my sister, she was running the marathon. I just asked officers on the street if any runners had been hurt and then it came to my head — wait a minute, my family was there too,” said Ryan Connolly
Ryan Connolly’s mother, Michelle, suffered a concussion and shrapnel near her eye.
“When it happened, I don’t remember much because I had a pretty bad concussion, but I do remember the police officers running towards me and running towards my family and I was thinking, wow my son could be here,” said Michelle Connolly, Ryan Connolly’s mother.
His mother couldn’t imagine missing her son’s graduation day.
Ryan Connolly is now Officer Connolly, part of the Marathon Class, and is ready to serve.
“Feels great, just like my grandfather before me. He did 32 years and hopefully I can just follow in his shoes,” said Ryan Connolly.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino was at the ceremony, which was his last police graduation as a mayor. To date, Menino has watched more than 1,500 graduate, which is 68 percent of the current force.