A Woman Who Survived The Boston Marathon Bombing Is Now Marrying Her Rescuer
A Woman Who Survived The Boston Marathon Bombing Is Now Marrying Her Rescuer
48-year-old Roseann Sdoia was a spectator near the finish line when the pressure cooker bombs went off, mangling one of her legs. 37-year-old fireman Mike Materia got her to the hospital. Her mother got them together. Find out more about their love story here.
48-year-old Roseann Sdoia was a spectator near the finish line when the pressure cooker bombs went off, mangling one of her legs. 37-year-old fireman Mike Materia got her to the hospital. Her mother got them together. Find out more about their love story here.
On the day of the Boston Marathon bombing, April 15, 2013, Roseann Sdoia was a mere spectator near the finish line, but she was hit hard when the pressure cooker bombs exploded, damaging her leg so badly that it had to be amputated.
She was rescued at the scene of the bombing by fireman Mike Materia, who stayed with her on the way to the hospital and even hung around afterward to make sure she was okay. Sdoia's mother took notice of his lingering presence, and tried to start setting them up pretty immediately after Sdoia's leg was amputated...
In the hospital, my mom tried to set me up with him. She was like, ‘Oh, did you see that firefighter? He’s so cute.’ And I was like, ‘Mom, I just got blown up.’
Roseann Sdoia
New York Post, January 31, 2017
But Sdoia's mother and Materia were both persistent, and pretty soon, the two got together. In June of 2013, they went on their first date, and less than a month later, they spent Fourth of July Weekend together in Nantucket. According to Sdoia, it was his kindness and persistence that ultimately got her.
I was probably not the nicest to him from the get-go. I was in pain. But now we laugh and blame it on the morphine. I knew I was starting to have feelings for him because he was so kind and caring. And he has an unbelievable smile.
Roseann Sdoia
New York Post, January 31, 2017
Materia proposed to her last month in the same place where they spent their first weekend together by putting a specially engraved tag on their dog Sal's collar that read "Mike wants to know... if you'll marry him."
Sal means so much to both of us. It couldn’t have been more romantic.
Roseann Sdoia
New York Post, January 31, 21017
The two are currently planning on releasing a book soon called Perfect Strangers about four people affected by the marathon bombing and will be participating in the Empire State Run Up, an event in which people run up all 1,576 steps of the Empire State Building to benefit The Challenged Athletes Foundation. Their wedding will be in October or November. What do you think of their love story? Talk to us about it in the comments below, and share this incredible story with your friends.