Boston bomb blast couple's £10,000 Cumbria floods donation

Eric and Ann Whalley, originally from west Cumbria, have donated £10,000 to Cumbria Community Foundation’s Flood Recovery Fund.

They say the generosity shown by fellow Cumbrians after their devastating injuries helped them significantly on their road to recovery.

They want to repay that kindness and generosity by helping families in Cockermouth, Workington and Flimby affected by the floods.

Their own tragedy three years ago showed them how small the world really is and how strong personal bonds matter when things go wrong.

The ex-Cockermouth Grammar School pupils had been cheering the runners when the bomb exploded close to the finish line.

Their son Richard only realised they were hurt after seeing his father’s photograph on the internet.

He used social networking website Facebook to track them down.

The couple have always been keen athletes and liked watching the marathon in their adopted home city of Boston.

On April 15, 2013, they were standing near the finish line when terrorists detonated two bombs which killed three people and injured them and 262 others.

The Whalleys, both 68, spent a total of 76 days in hospital and underwent around 20 operations each involving major limb salvage and reconstruction over 24 months.

Mr Whalley lost the sight in one eye, had an eardrum transplant and suffered traumatic shrapnel brain damage.

Mrs Whalley was on a ventilator in the aftermath and also suffered shrapnel and burns injuries to her limbs, neck and face.

Richard, then 25, and their other son Chris, then 34, turned to social media and the American GiveForward fundraising site helped raise £100,000 towards their parents’ medical bills.

It is 27 years since Mr Whalley, of Cockermouth, and Mrs Whalley, of Maryport, emigrated to America but they said they had never forgotten where they grew up or lost their fondness for the area and its people.

Mr Whalley, a retired biotech professional, and his wife, a retired teacher, have friends and relatives in Cockermouth, Workington, Harrington and Maryport.

The couple, who now live in Massachusetts, moved to the USA in 1989 and became American citizens in 2008.

Mr Whalley was captain of the Cockermouth Grammar School rugby first team, captain of the athletics teams, and was also on the cross country team, and a house captain and prefect. After leaving school he studied at the University of London and at Bradford.

He then lectured in pharmacology at the University of Manchester for 14 years before taking up a pharmacology job in the US.

His father worked at Millers shoe factory when it opened.

Mrs Whalley’s maiden name was Richardson.

Mr Whalley’s sister Patricia Underwood lived in Cockermouth and it is understood she has another sister in Harrington and cousins in Maryport.

Mr and Mrs Whalley are private people and their donation, one of the most significant individual ones made, came with the message:

“Please find enclosed a donation. We were so touched by the well wishes, kindness, support and generosity from family, friends and fellow West Cumbrians which helped significantly with our recovery.

“We are sad to learn about the devastation resulting from the floods in Cumbria and we would like to thank you all by giving forward.”

Andy Beeforth, chief executive of Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “Ann and Eric embody the true spirit of Cumbria which we have seen time and again since the terrible floods in December.

“They didn’t seek any financial support from anyone after they were innocently caught up in the bombing in 2013 but they were hugely touched to see friends, family and relative strangers from West Cumbria digging deep to help them in their hour of need.

“Now they have made significant steps towards recovery, they want to extend the same hand of kindness to people who are in need of help to recover from the flooding.

“I was overwhelmed when I received their donation and would like to say a heartfelt thank you on behalf of every family that will benefit from their kindness.”