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Boston Marathon Survivor Victoria McGrath Killed in Dubai Car Crash

Victoria McGrath
Victoria McGrath

On Monday, March 7, Northeastern University announced that 23-year-old student Victoria McGrath, a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, died in a recent car crash while vacationing in Dubai.

Three years ago, McGrath was critically injured in the April 15 attacks and was photographed in a now-iconic image in which she is seen being carried to safety by firefighter Jim Plourde.

After surviving a bomb exploding just five feet away from her as she was standing near the marathon’s finish line as a spectator, the Weston, Connecticut, native participated in the May 2013 “Boston Strong” concert alongside the first responders who helped rescue her. She was set to graduate from Northeastern’s school of business this spring.

Related: PHOTOS: Stars Gone Too Soon

McGrath’s classmate, Priscilla Perez Torres, also passed away in the Dubai accident, university officials said.

Victoria McGrath
Victoria McGrath

“Victoria and Priscilla were vibrant, beloved members of our community, and their passing leaves a grievous absence in our community and in our hearts,” Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun said in a statement.

Tufts Medical Center, the treatment facility where McGrath recovered from the bombings, paid tribute to her memory on social media: “Our hearts ache for the family & friends of our former patient Victoria McGrath. She made a lasting impact on those who knew her.”

“Her personality [and] her sparkle were amazing during the whole marathon bombing crisis,” Brooke Hynes, a public affairs official at Tufts Medical Center added. “She was wonderfully smart and had a passion for life and people loved talking with her, being with her, and caring for her.”

Though she suffered nerve damage following the attack, McGrath was determined to continue living life to the fullest. “I’m going to get better,” she told the Today show at the time. “This is just a little thing.”

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