Participants in the 2010 Boston Marathon in Wellesley, just after the halfway mark (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the aftermath of tragedies, such as the Boston Marathon bombings, we find ourselves face to face with depressing personal stories of loss. Often, we may wonder what we would do under such circumstances. Would we have the strength, courage and resilience to move on with our lives? In the face of tragedy, we can help turn a horrible experience into a positive outcome by deriving hope and inspiration from the story of bombing victim Adrianne Haslet-Davis.

Adrianne and her husband, Air Force Captain Adam Davis, happened to be in the midst of the Boston tragedy. Hit with the explosions, Adrianne came out of the initial shock only to realize that her worst nightmares would come true: her left leg had to be amputated below her knee. Undoubtedly, such significant injury would be devastating to most of us, but it came with an especially tragic twist for this 32-year-old dance teacher and dancing enthusiast.

Indeed, dancing has been an integral part of Adrianne’s life. In her own expression, she felt completely at joy and peace when dancing and continued to share her passion with others as a dancing instructor. It would not be surprising or unusual if Adrianne wound up in a cycle of self-pity and depression. But Adrianne is showing her true spirit and resilience by a positive, die-hard attitude.

The Boston bombers might have taken her foot away, they might have brought pain and agony to her, but she will not allow them to take away her joy and her dancing spirit. Not only does she plan on working hard and restoring her ability to perform as a dancer in the future, but she also vows to show her strength and perseverance by participating in the Boston Marathon next year.