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Krystle Campbell Peace Garden opens with a spirit of recovery

Krystle Campbell, the daughter of William and Patricia Campbell, died in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.Keith Bedford/Globe Staff

MEDFORD — William Campbell and his wife, Patricia, walked hand-in-hand with the mayor of Medford to place a white rose on a plaque memorializing their daughter, who died at age 29 in the Boston Marathon bombings.

“I just want to say one thing,” William Campbell said moments later, to the crowd of hundreds gathered for the opening of a peace garden in his daughter’s honor. “My wife and my family, we love each and every one of you. Thank you.”

The Krystle Campbell Peace Garden officially opened Sunday following a ceremony next to the Medford Senior Center on Riverside Avenue.

A spirit of peace, remembrance, and recovery pervaded the service, which included a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem, followed by a motorcade, musical performances, and several speeches by city, town, and state officials.

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The garden includes four plaques bearing the name of each victim killed in the bombings and their aftermath, and an icon for each: a baseball glove for 8-year-old Martin Richard, a book for Boston University student Lingzi Lu, a police badge for MIT police Officer Sean Collier, and for Krystle Campbell, a sunflower — her favorite flower.

A fountain in the center of the garden has four jets, one for each victim, and a fifth symbolizing peace for all who were injured on April 15, 2013, in the twin bombings.

A walkway engraved with words such as “Courage,” “Endurance,” “Honor,” and “Determination” borders the fountain, which is surrounded by flowers.

Benches form a circle around the fountain, and there are picnic tables beyond.

Medford Mayor Stephanie Burke (center) hugged Jane (left) and Denise Richard as they lay a rose on a plaque honoring Martin Richard.Keith Bedford/Globe Staff/Globe Staff

Former Medford mayor Michael J. McGlynn proposed the garden in 2015 with a goal of raising $15,000 for its creation. At the groundbreaking in October 2015, almost triple that amount was raised.

On Sunday, he announced that $1.5 million to build and maintain the park had been raised through gifts and donations.

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“The redesign and reconstruction of this land is not only a part of the healing process, but also a memorial to the four people who reached out of their way to spread peace among this earth,” he said.

US Senator Edward Markey addressed the families of the victims. Bill and Denise Richard were there with their daughter Jane, who was 7 when she lost a leg in the bombings, along with the parents of Collier. Lu’s parents live in China, but a representative of the family was present.

“We honor you today, we honor the memory of the sacrifice your family has made. That is why we are here,” he said.

Each family, including the representative for the Lu family, placed a white rose at the plaques.

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh told the crowd the garden was inspiring and transformative.

“You can feel Krystle with every breeze that comes through here [today], keeping smiles on all of our faces,” he said. “You can see the energy and compassion that went into building this memorial. It’s something this city should be proud of.

“I know this garden will shine through the winter, and every Boston Marathon it will bloom,” he said. “People are going to continue to rally around the Marathon finish line, and now they can come here to remember their lives and be inspired, and to get a sense of peace.”

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At the end of the ceremony, people were invited to walk through the garden and view the plaques.

Lisa Rauch of Medford didn’t know the victims, but she was moved to tears.

“Just looking around here at the mix of people in the crowd, and just knowing that the goal of this was for peace, and seeing that reachable goal today,” she said, “I think that’s what we all want.”

Campbell was one of three people killed in the April 2013 bombings.Keith Bedford/Globe Staff

Alexandra Koktsidis can be reached at alexandra.koktsidis@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @akoktsidis.