Kevin McWatters was one of the marathoners who participated in the dreadful Boston Marathon in 2013. Luckily, he was unharmed when the bombs went off as he was just approaching the finish line.
Keep reading this Kevin McWatters Bio to learn more about him.
Meet Kevin McWatters, Boston Marathon Victim
Netflix’s American Manhunt: Boston Marathon Bombing explores one of the most horrifying tragedies of Boston when two explosions killed three people and injured many others during the 2013 Annual Boston Marathon on April 15. And it does so not just by archival footage and chilling reenactments but also by exclusive interviews with those close to the matter. Kevin McWatters was one of those interviewees who was just a few yards away from the explosion.
When Kevin participated in the marathon little did he know that by the time he gets close to the finish line, his life would change forever. However, it wasn’t him but rather his partner Karen (waiting for him by the finish line) who suffered more as she lost her leg to the explosion.
Karen recalled that despite her friends urging her to meet Kevin a little further away from the finish life, she and Krystal Campbell stayed right there because the former thought she could get a great picture of Kevin finishing. So, when the first explosion went off a few feet behind the duo, they were blown to the ground before BB, debris, and shrapnel came raining down on everyone. “I remember waking up on the sidewalk. There was a horrendous smell. My ears were ringing so bad, in that I couldn’t really hear. At that point, it was just chaos,” Karen shared.
When she finally came to her senses, she then saw Krystal lying like a “rag doll” right beside her and their phones/identities getting exchanged.
On the other hand, Kevin, who was close to the finish line, initially thought it was just a manhole cover that blew up. And when he finally learned the truth, he frantically searched for Karen across all major city hospitals before finally finding her at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Where Is Kevin McWatters Today?
Kevin McWatters is stronger than ever today. Infact, he put up a brave face the very next year after the dreadful incident and participated in the 2014 Annual Boston Marathon — which was his 12th run.
Besides working on himself, Kevin also helped his wife recover and accompanied her as she relearned how to walk, and function in everyday life.
Like Kelvin, Karen also set her mind to focus on the positives. This was also why she chose to partake in the Beach to Beacon race in 2015 and supports Melissa Estefania Salinas.
Are Karen And Kevin McWatters Still Married?
Yes, Kevin and Karen McWatters are still married as of 2023. They’ve been married for over 9 years now.
Karen McWatters is the daughter of Linda and later Richard L. Engelhardt. She was born on Oct 1960 in Portland. Sadly, her father Richard passed away in March 2014 following a long illness. He served for four years in the National Guard in South Portland and was employed by Nissen’s Bakery where he retired after 35 years.
Before Kevin, Karen was married to her ex-husband (surname: Rand) with two kids Steve and Andrew. They turned 35 and 32 years of age respectively in 2023.
Did you know: Karen got a $25,000 artificial leg (for which insurance only covered half the cost)? The other half was covered by the donations and generosity of well-wishers, such as Mal Mango of Old Orchard Beach.
Kevin McWatters Age
Kevin McWatters was 62 years of age in 2023.
He’s just six months older than his wife Karen.
Who Are Kevin McWatters Parents?
Kevin McWatters was born to his parents, Florence and Robert A McWatters.
Sadly, his father, Robert took his last breath after a long illness in November 2010, at the age of 57. He had already split with Florence then.
Today, as of 2023, Florence’s alive and kicking at the age of 86.
As for his siblings, Kevin has a brother and two sisters named Robert (born: Feb 1959), Carolyn (born: Apr 1960), and Marylynn.
His brother, Robert (aka Bob) is a Northeastern University graduate who went on to work as a Probationary Officer (PO) at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for over 33 years. Then, he joined Somerville Housing Authority as Assistant Resident Services Coordinator and was severing them as of 2023.
Kevin McWatters Job
Kevin McWatters is a correctional officer. He was also a Supervisory special agent and a part of the FBI’s Boston cyber squad who worked on and off on the 2013 Boston Marathon investigation. For a few years, he was asked to verify the integrity of selected files on digital devices — laptops, cell phones, iPods, thumb drives, a desktop computer from 410 Norfolk St., and a portable hard drive.
It was also he who introduced the bulk of the jihadi files found across these devices including audio lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki and an issue of Inspire magazine, an al-Qaeda publication, which included an article called “How to make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom.”
As a Correctional Officer at Sheriff Department Middlesex, he likely received pay of around $66 thousand per annum.
Related FAQs
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Where Is Kevin McWatters From?
Kevin hails from Somerville, Massachusetts. He lived there even in 2023.
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When Is Kevin McWatters Birthday?
Kevin celebrates his birthday in April and is either of the Aries or Taurus zodiac.
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Is Kevin McWatters On Instagram And Facebook?
Find him on Facebook @kevin.m.mcwatters.
Sadly, we couldn’t find him on Instagram.
