8-year-old Boston Marathon bombing survivor shows off prosthetic leg

One month shy of the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing, the Richard family has reason to smile.

A post to the family’s Tumblr says 8-year-old Jane Richard has been outfitted with a “Cheetah” running leg, a gift from the Wiggle Your Toes organization.

Jane was standing near the finish line with her family on April 15 when the two bombs exploded. Jane’s brother Martin was killed in the explosion; their mother Denise lost vision in one eye and their father Bill lost part of his hearing.

“Never self-conscious and always smiling, Jane has worn it to school several times which speaks to the can-do spirit she has displayed over the last 11 months,” the family’s statement read.

“A day doesn’t pass when we don’t cry over the loss of Martin, but we also laugh when we think about him, which feels like the right way to remember a little boy with a zest for life and a caring heart.”

A team of runners will participate in this year’s Boston Marathon to support The Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation.