Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor Gives Birth, Reunites With Nurse Who Saved Her Life

By Darby Jones September 21, 2021

Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jacqui Webb was welcomed by a familiar face to the hospital to give birth to her daughter, Ella, last month. It was Nichole Casper, one of the nurses who cared for Webb after the 2013 attack.

After the bombing, Webb spent three weeks at Tufts Medical Center in Boston after suffering life-threatening wounds. She has only good things to say about the hospital, and has said she would always return to Tufts if necessary. “I thank my lucky stars every day that I was brought to that hospital,” she told CNN. “And I think when I walked out of there, eight years ago, I said, if I ever had a baby, I’ll be back at that hospital.”

Ella Webb Norden was born via cesarean section late on Aug. 21, weighing eight pounds and five ounces. 

Casper, who has now worked in the hospital’s Mother-Infant Unit for about four years, was one of the nurses that happened to be on duty the night of the bombing. She got to know Webb and her family during Webb’s three-week stay, but had not seen her since. Casper recognized Webb’s name on the list of incoming patients, so she made sure to be in the hallway to get Webb to her room post-delivery.

“I think I just looked at her and said, ‘Long time no see’ and she kind of looked at me and she was a little dazed,” Casper said. “She was like, ‘Oh hi! They told me you were up here waiting for me.’ So it was cute because they were trying to keep her calm downstairs, so they had told her that I was working.”

The first encounter was a little blurry for Webb, but she said, “I do remember that I was just elated to see her.” Webb, her husband Paul Norden, and their new baby were in the hospital for three days, and Casper even picked up an extra night shift so she could be there for their entire stay.

Webb said it was very comforting to be treated by the same nurses and doctors who helped her through a traumatic event and that already know her complex medical history. 

“To be able to see her have a brand-new baby and see her with Paul, it made me extremely happy,” Casper said. “You know, it was just something that I’ll probably never experience again in my career.”

Image source: TODAY