The father of the youngest victim killed in the Boston Marathon Bombings addressed a September 11 ceremony on Wednesday in the city’s state house.

Bill Richard lost his 8-year-old son Martin on April 15, when one of the bombs exploded near the marathon finish line. Richard’s 7-year-old daughter Jane also lost a leg in the blast.

Richard shared the following message with survivors and the families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks:

“We sit beneath the night sky by the whisper of the wind’s song and the quiet of darkness and they are never far,” said Richard. “Those we have loved and cherished those who have changed our lives in some small or profound way closer than we know because it is their light that shines on our world. It is the brilliance of their souls that makes our night sky glow.”

His wife Denise suffered a head injury in the blast while he suffered shrapnel wounds and lost part of his hearing.

“On behalf of my family and others who suffered loss on April 15, I’d like to thank the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund for sharing their day and may God bless us all. Thank You,” he concluded.

WHDH.com reports that bombing victim Jeff Bauman was in attendance to see the man who rescued him receive an award for bravery named after Amy Sweeney, a flight attendant on one of the planes that crashed into the towers.

“I’m very happy about getting memory of Ms. Sweeney, you know, who paid the sacrifice in one of the planes,” said Carlos Arredondo, marathon bombing hero.