Actor Jake Gyllenhaal, right, speaks alongside Jeff Bauman who he plays in the movie 'Stronger[' during a press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. (AP Photo)
Toronto, Canada: A man who lost both legs in the Boston Marathon bombings inspired moviegoers Saturday, walking the red carpet at the Toronto film festival for the premiere of 'Stronger'.
The film, directed by David Gordon Green, tells the true story of Jeff Bauman, who at 27 captured the hearts of Boston and become a symbol of hope following the 2013 attack.
Bauman had been at the finish line waiting for his ex-girlfriend Erin - whom he hoped to win back - when the blast occurred.
After regaining consciousness in the hospital, he helped police identify one of the suspects.
His subsequent struggle to walk again and regain his life would test family bonds and define a community's pride.
"I don't like being called a hero," Bauman told a press conference in Toronto.
"The people that saved my life, my caretakers, the people at Boston Medical Center, my surgeon, the people who pulled me off the ground and got me out of there, Carlos (a bystander who rushed to his aid)... the police, the paramedics - those are the true heroes."
"I lost something, but my heroes picked me up," Bauman said, giving a nod also to Erin, who is now his wife, and to his mother.