Elizabeth Fortier of Boston sat on the curb on Friday, April 22, outside NYA Sport & Fitness Center with a group of runners that had started out in Boston days earlier, and were heading to San Francisco.

Had she run all this way? Laughing and saying, "Not me," Elizabeth pointed to her father, Dave Fortier, a 2013 Boston Marathon bombing survivor who had made the run. Mr Fortier, along with friend Rusty Tolliver, started the One World Strong Trek "in a coffee shop last summer," he said, when they decided to organize the run across country, stopping in various towns and cities "to say thank you to the many who supported us" following the bombing.

Mr Fortier, who had been in the 2013 marathon, said, "I was running and in the wrong place at the wrong time." He now has shrapnel in his leg and hearing loss, but is glad to be stopping to greet people, meet with other marathon survivors, and share his story. At various locations organizers are flying in other survivors to meet with their group.

"I wanted to thank people," Mr Fortier said. "This is the result." He also revealed a runner's baton engraved with the trek and the Semper Fi Fund, offering its support, and also including the words, "Support Through Sport, and Recovery Through Sport." They plan to hit the West Coast by August 1, running an average of 25 to 30 miles daily to cover the 3,400-mile distance.

Mr Tolliver, who had also been running since starting in Boston, was covered in sunscreen. He talked about planning the run with Mr Fortier. Although he was not in the marathon when the bombs went off in 2013, he wanted to be part of running across the country and stopping in survivors' cities. He feels "good" and "inspired" by the support trek members have received.

According to the project's website, The One World Strong Trek is a cross-continental journey by a group of survivors from the terrorist attacks that struck Boylston Street, at the 2013 Boston Marathon, and a group of their close friends. The idea was sprung up to tell the many stories of the survivor community, of where they are now and what they have been doing since that day that changed their lives forever.

One World Strong Trek participants stopped at both NYA Sports & Fitness Center and also for a reception at The Resiliency Center of Newtown (RCN) while in Newtown last Friday.

Trek organizers had contacted RCN staff just days before their arrival, and coordinated their group's stop. At RCN they enjoyed a brief reception.

Before arriving at NYA, several RCN staff members joined a brief Newtown run with the One World Strong Trek members, going from Sandy Hook Center, up Church Hill Road, along Main Street, and down Wasserman Way toward NYA.

Stephanie Cinque, RCN executive director, got into her running gear and had joined them. They had called to say that were stopping in town and she quickly organized the run and reception. As Mr Fortier and Mr Tolliver and others walked through the RCN's doors Friday and although "we just met," Ms Cinque saw the chance to make new friends. "It's about building relationships," she said.

Marathon survivors now on the Trek included Michael Milone and Kaitlyn Cates, both from Boston. Joining them was Kellie Marshall from Danvers, Mass. Also among the Trek members were John Ortiz and Aubrey Garner, from cities in Texas.

One supporter who arrived to greet Trek members with her service dog was Lauren Vulcano.

"It's amazing what they're doing," she said. "They are saying thank you and it's touching to us. It's a thank you across the US."

Resident Diane Buchanan stopped briefly to speak with First Selectman Pat Llodra, who had joined the reception, then continued taking a head count of who would attend dinner in honor of One World Strong Trek at her house that evening.