Jeff knows exactly when his life changed. April 15, 2013 at 2:48 p.m. Bauman looked into the face of Tamerlan Tsarnaev just minutes before the most high-profile terrorist event on United States soil since September 11th. Jeff Bauman was, well, your average guy. Jeff lives in Boston, loves to watch sports, and works at Costco. Just like any other person in Boston, Jeff was at the marathon. As Jeff was waiting for his girlfriend Erin to finish the race, the bombs went off. Pressure cookers filled with nuts and bolts. Shredding anything in their path. When Jeff opened his eyes, he saw a woman step over him, covered in blood. Jeff looked down, and there was nothing below his knees. Jeff was lying in a pool of his own blood and flesh. Jeff was thrown in a wheelchair and rushed to the emergency room. Jeff almost died during surgery, but when he wakes up, he finds himself surrounded by friends and family. Jeff becomes the face of the bombing. The image of him and the man in the yellow cowboy hat is all over the internet. Jeff battles himself mentally and physically. Bauman undergoes grueling physical therapy, and he also battles himself. Jeff even started to blame himself for the bombing. Jeff slowly started to build confidence and even made public appearances with new friends. Jeff even returns to his job at Costco and gets married to his girlfriend, Erin. Jeff’s story shows us how small and insignificant these terrorists were and shows us we are stronger. Jeff really surprised me with how explicit his writing was. He really got me thinking about the terrible things these bombers did. In a way, Jeff almost forces you to see from his perspective. He did so using a lot of imagery. Jeff allows us to see the bombing from a survivor's perspective, one that is much better than the media’s perspective. Towards the end of the story, we discover that some people don’t even believe that he lost his legs and that the whole incident was fake. This really made me realize how unempathetic and insolent people can be. Jeff also describes how he was already battling mental struggles. I can’t imagine battling myself and other random, unrelated people. Jeff also describes his life before the bombing. It made me realize his life really wasn’t very different from mine. Bauman also describes how helpful his girlfriend was in the process of his recovery. This showed me how important relationships are. It really got me thinking about how I treat people. I noticed a change in Jeff’s tone throughout the book. Jeff, at the beginning of the book, was sad and depressed. At the end of the book, however, I noticed that his tone shifted to happy and confident. This really made me think about the situation he went through and how mentally tough he really is. I am very pleased that I chose to read stronger. Jeff completely changed my view of amputees. I used to think amputees were weird because they were different. Jeff made me realize that amputees are just like you and me. Jeff also made me feel empathetic towards amputees. His story of recovery really made me realize what they have to go through just to live normal lives. Jeff’s story also made me realize how much I appreciate friends, family, and community members. Jeff never would have recovered the way he did without all the support he received. Jeff made me realize how fortunate I am to have these people. Bauman also makes me realize how fortunate we are that we have all four of our limbs. Jeff’s life is very different from mine, but after hearing his story, I found he is not so different from me. Jeff helped me feel empathy for people who are different from me. By Reid Burns
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AuthorSTenth grade students at Decorah High School share how they're reading outside of their own experiences and how it has changed them. Categories
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