Bridgewater State University is a special place for the family of Boston Marathon bombing victim Martin Richard.
It's where Bill and Denise Richard met in the early 90s. They graduated from the Massachusetts school in 1993, and Wednesday, they returned to campus here at Bridgewater State for two special announcements.
The serene campus greenway will have a new addition come the end of summer. The university will place a statue there of the youngest victim of the bombings.
"To create a beautiful work of art that expresses the essence of who Martin was, that her tribute to our son will have a prominent home right here where we first met, is deeply meaningful to us and our family," said Bill Richard.
The statue will be cast in bronze and is being designed by artist Victoria Guerina, who says she was moved by a picture of Martin, which became one of the lasting images of both his life and his death. The boy is holding a sign reading, "No more hurting people. Peace."
"I felt the need of making this into something that would be permanent, so that people could see this message of Martin's and think about it," said Guerina. "It would be in their lives all the time and not be forgotten."
The school also announced it will name its Institute for Social Justice after Martin.
School officials say the 8-year-old, with his simple yet powerful message, symbolizes what the institute stands for.
"This young boy, with that iconic message, really exemplified what I think we all hoped that not only the institute, but our society, would be about," said President Dana Mohler-Faria. "Peace and fairness and equity and justice."
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"This has long been a special place for us, and on some level, where our family began," said Bill Richard. "It seems only fitting that it also be a place where it endures."
School officials are hoping the sculpture will be ready by the end of August, and there will be a dedication ceremony at that time.
