TORONTO — Rookie Toronto FC midfielder Kyle Bekker watched the aftermath of the horrific Boston Marathon bombings then tweeted simply: “At a complete loss for words.”
The terrorist attack struck close to home to the Boston College alumnus.
“All my friends are just down the road,” the 22-year-old from Oakville, Ont., said Tuesday of the site of the attack.
“We all just lived down the street.”
Like many, Bekker spent the day reaching out to friends to make sure they were safe.
Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen was playing for D.C. United at the time of the 9/11 attack in 2001.
The MLS ended up suspending the remaining six weeks of the regular season, although the playoffs went ahead.
Nelsen recalled how he used to drive past the Pentagon every morning to practice.
So Monday’s bombing brought back painful memories.
“It’s so sad,” said the former New Zealand international.
“It puts a lot of things in perspective,” he added. “What frustrates me the most is that there are people out there running a marathon, working really hard, families watching. It epitomizes fantastic recreational sport, in such a prestigious city.
“It’s just unbelievable that some person or somebody or some whoever could think about causing harm.”
