The Boston Marathon Bombing’s Facebook page yesterday posted a photo that simply stated: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness- only light can do that.”

While yesterday’s malicious attack once again struck fear in to hearts around the globe, light did come in the form of many everyday citizens who now have earned the right to be called heroes.

A memorable figure emerged from footage of yesterday’s tragic scenes: a man in a cowboy hat, wheeling an injured man away from the site.

That man in the hat was peace activist Carlos Arredondo, who in a cruel twist of irony, had been handing out peace promotion flyers on the streets when the first bomb exploded. Mr Arrendondo rushed across to the site to offer his assistance to the wounded victims, and became one of many unheralded heroes that have emerged from this morning’s events.

Mr Arredondo spoke to journalists after the carnage, his body uncontrollably shaking and his sleeve bathed in blood.

“I just concentrate [sic] on that young man, tie him up, talk to him- he was conscious. I let him know that the ambulance was on the way, that he was ok. And then I managed to take him all the way to the ambulance, he said, adding: “there were so many people begging me for help, but I could only help one at a time.”

While the coverage of the tragedy continues to roll, the stories of those who assisted during the tragedy cast a new perspective on yesterday’s events, and are helping to slowly restore faith in the human race.

Consider the stories of those runners who kept on running to the hospitals to donate much needed blood, the state trooper who in the absence of medical help, started delivering vital first aid just minutes after crossing the finish line, the people who are opening up their homes to victims , and those who like Mr Arrendondo, simply sat and comforted traumatised victims without knowing whether their own safety was guaranteed.

For the many runners, the Boston Marathon is a once in a lifetime experience. And now, sadly we hope that for them, it’s just that.

96 countries, every religion is represented. An example of personal achievement & community assistance. Who attacks that? #prayforboston

— Cheryl Booher (@c_booher) April 15, 2013

The sheer importance of the event to some can be summed up with the story of the man in the orange singlet who was shown crumpling to the ground in much of yesterday’s coverage. Astonishingly, Bill Iffrig is safe and has been left virtually unscarred.

In fact, 78-year-old Mr Iffrig got up and finished the race, displaying the courage that only a veteran marathon runner could embody.

“I ended up second in my division,” he told reporters. “After you’ve run 26 miles you’re not going to stop there.”

It was only after Mr Iffrig walked the six blocks back to his hotel and switched on his television that he began to understand the enormity of what had occurred.

For many, the attack has ruined a lifelong goal and in doing so, has demolished the purity of simply running.

One competitor, who attributed her survival to a couple of toilet stops, said that the one thing in their life that brought her happiness – running – has suddenly become one of the worst things that ever happened to her.

“They [the bomber] have taken yet another thing that matters in my life,” the lady said.

But as aforementioned, good things do come out of a tragedy such as this one: acts of unimaginable brave, ordinary people putting their own lives on the line to save strangers.

Former NFL OL Joe Andruzzi carrying a Boston Marathon bombing victim to safety (via @YahooSports) pic.twitter.com/euKrcC2Hcx

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 16, 2013

While the sad truth is that tragedies do have to occur for society to recognise this, there’s comfort in the fact that there are more good people in this world than evil ones.

Mr Arredondo, even after having witnessed such traumatic scenes, still wanted to give humankind a hint of hope that violence will not always have a place in this world.

“I want to give you my card,” he said, offering campaigning posters to the reporters.

Although it is easy to solely focus on the negative consequences of such senseless violence, it does bring to light that there are people who will, quite literally, go that extra mile to help out strangers in desperate need.

Photo: Aaron Tang

Simone McInnes is a third year Sports Journalism/Psychology student at La Trobe University. You can follow her on Twitter at @McSimone.