Also: A friend is looking for a woman named Krystal Campbell. She’s been missing since yesterday and was around the marathon. Please RT.
— Amy Derjue (@derjue) April 16, 2013
Krystle Campbell has been identified as the second fatal victim of the Boston Marathon bombing. Here’s what you should know about her.
1. She Was 29 Years Old and Lived in Arlington, Massachusetts
Campbell would have turned 30 on May 3.
2. In a Tragic Mixup, Her Family Was Told She Survived
Family members embracing on #KrystleCampbell ‘s porch in #Medford. #bostonmarathon #prayforboston twitter.com/jdmegarg/statu…
— Jeff Megargell (@jdmegarg) April 16, 2013
A heartbroken dad whose daughter was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings had to endure a second shockwave of terror: doctors initially confused his daughter’s identity with a friend who survived. “We had the doctors come out and tell us everything they did (on the survivor) — and it wasn’t our daughter,” said William Campbell Jr. 56. … for hours, William Campbell and his wife believed doctors were operating on their daughter’s leg at Massachusetts General Hospital. … “I said, ‘That’s not my daughter, that’s Karen! Where’s my daughter?’”
3. She Was a Dedicated and Beloved Restaurant Worker
Campbell recently left her job as general manager at Jasper White’s Summer Shack, with locations in Cambridge and Hingham, Massachusetts, and was a current employee at Jimmy’s Steer House in Arlington.
Below is a video of Campbell at work at the Summer Shack seafood restaurant in late summer of 2009 (skip to 0:23). Enthusiastic in her work, Campbell, then 26, tells potential customers: “I figured it’s the last weekend of the season, so why not have some people come out and stuff their face?”
Reached by phone, a manager at Jimmy’s Steer House, her current employer, told Heavy.com:
We’re all saddened and shocked about the loss. Our thoughts to friends and family of Krystle and the victims of this tragedy. Krystle was a greatly valued member of our management team and she’ll be missed.
4. Her Father Calls Her “The Most Lovable Girl”
Her dad, William Campbell Jr., gave a statement to Yahoo News:
My daughter was the most lovable girl. She helped everybody and I’m just so shocked right now. We’re just devastated. She was a wonderful, wonderful girl. Always willing to lend a hand.
Her grandmother described her as “one of those people who always have to be doing something for somebody.”
5. She Cared for Her Ailing Grandmother
“She took care of me for almost two years after I had an operation,” Lillian Campbell told the Boston Globe. “She moved right into my house with me for two years.”
6. She Attended the Marathon Every Year
Krystle (right) with her friend, Karen Rand, who also was injured in the bombing but survived.
As she did each year, Campbell watched the Boston Marathon from the area near the finish line.
“She’s been doing it since she was a little girl,” her grandmother, Lillian Campbell, told the Boston Globe. “She didn’t miss a Marathon, watching it at the finish line.”
This year Campbell attended with her friend, Karen Rand, who also was injured in the blast but survived.
7. They Were Cheering on Her Friend’s Boyfriend
The Daily News reports Campbell and her friend, Karen Rand, were cheering on Rand’s boyfriend, who was running in the race.
8. Her Hometown is Paying Tribute to Her
Krystle is a native of Medford, Massachusetts. Speaking to WHDH in a live broadcast, Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn spoke about Krystle, saying she was “the daughter everyone dreamed of having—loved life, very energetic and had a big smile.”
Flags will flay at half-staff in Medford this week in her honor, reports the Medford Transcript.
9. She Graduated from Medford High School, Class of 2001, and Attended University of Massachusetts Boston
Medford School Superintendent Roy Belson told the Boston Globe:
The event was sad enough. To find out one of those who died was from Medford, it makes it even more personal.
10. She Was a Gentle Soul and an Animal Lover
The Medford Transcript reports:
“She loved pets and she loved people,” [Mother] Patty Campbell said.
R.I.P., Krystle.