SAN JOSE, Calif. — Americans from coast to coast expressed their concern over Monday’s bombing of the Boston Marathon and its chaotic aftermath. But UFC president Dana White felt heartache over the incident in a way that only someone who once lived in the city and is now away from the area can fully comprehend.
“The Boston thing affected me pretty strongly because I lived there,” White said at Saturday’s UFC on FOX 7 post-fight news conference. “I know people there. The story that really gets me is the mother that was crossing the finish line and the son, the eight-year old that was killed and the girl that lost her legs because of a couple of f— cowards. “
White, however, plans to do his part to pitch in as the city puts the pieces back together. White said that after next Saturday’s UFC 159 in Newark, New Jersey, he’ll ship up to Boston to help out however he can.
“I’m going to Boston on Saturday, after New Jersey,” White said. “I’m jumping on a plane and going to Boston and I’m actually going to go visit some people who were affected by this whole thing.
The UFC head honcho doesn’t yet have a specific plan once he gets there.
“[I’ll help] the people that were affected,” White said. “I’m going to go to Boston and write some checks.”
The ordeal stretched through the week, as one suspect, Tamerlan, was killed in a shootout with law enforcement agents, and came to a conclusion on Friday, when the other suspect, Dzokhar Tsarnaev, was apprehended after a city-wide lockdown.
Saturday, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz addressed the crowd assembled at Fenway Park for Saturday’s game with the Kansas City Royal by saying “This is our f— city.” White concurred with the popular star’s sentiments.
“I liked ‘Big Papi’s’ speech he gave to Boston today at the Red Sox game,” White said. “That was pretty cool. “This is our f— city” on live TV. … It was awesome, I loved it.”