Parents Say Daughter’s Marathon Death Like ‘Dagger in Our Hearts’

Scott Eisen/Bloomberg via Getty Images(BOSTON) — Hundreds of mourners held a vigil Tuesday night for Martin Richard, the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon attack, while the parents of the Boston University graduate student from China who also died in the attack described her death as a “dagger in our hearts.”

The BU student, 23, had been enjoying the marathon with two friends when two bombs exploded Monday afternoon, killing three people and injuring more than 170.

Speaking through sobs, the father of the dead Chinese national told ABC News, “This is an extremely painful time for our family.”

He asked that his daughter’s name not be published until her grandparents are notified.

“We don’t think they can handle it,” he said.

He said the family has declined several interview requests because, “Every time we speak about this, it is like a dagger in our hearts.”

The university has not released the student’s name, pending permission from the family.  The U.S. Embassy in China has not identified the woman, but said she was from Shenyang in Northeast China.

The BU student attended Northeast Yucai School, considered one of the best high schools in Shenyang.  The headmaster of the high school told Chinese media, “We are in shock.”

Meanwhile, friends, neighbors and even those who didn’t know Richard’s family gathered at Garvey Park Tuesday night, each holding a candle in a cup and a U.S. flag.

Richard, 8, was enjoying ice cream and was watching the marathon with his family when the twin bombs exploded.

“Everybody that was lost had their whole lives in front of them but really from an 8-year-old perspective, it’s so different,” Debbie Bickoff said at the vigil.

Bickoff was one of more than a 1,000 mourners who came to pay tribute to Richard and pray for his mother and sister, who were both injured in the attack.

Richard’s mother, Denise, works as a librarian at the Neighborhood House Charter School, where he was a third-grader.  She is still in the hospital with a head injury.

Richard’s younger sister, Jane, also remains in the hospital after she lost her leg.  Jane, a dancer, was a first-grader at the same school where Richard’s artwork still lines the hallways.

Another vigil was held in Boston Commons Tuesday night where several hundreds gathered to remember Martin and the other two fatalities from the attack.

Krystle Campbell, 29, was identified Tuesday as the other fatality in the attack.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio