FITCHBURG, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) - The man wrongly identified as a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings is speaking out about his experience for the first time.
Salah Barhoum, now a freshman studying business at Fitchburg State University, will address his peers and the public in a free speech on Thursday.
On April 18, 2013, a photo of Barhoum and his friend watching the marathon before the bombings was published on the front page of the New York Post, where the paper wrongly identified the two as suspects wanted by authorities.
"I was scared," Barhoum told FOX25. "I'm getting Facebook messages asking, 'Are you a terrorist? Did you bomb the marathon?"
Even after investigators cleared Barhoum's name and identified the Tsarnaev brothers as the suspects, Barhoum said his family continued to be subjected to harassment.
His grades fell, and Barhoum said he lost many college opportunities as he battled anger and depression.
"That picture brought to the attention that people are still judging others based on the image, what they hear and what they see," Barhoum said.
Two and a half years later, Barhoum said he has come to terms with what happened to him.
Barhoum said the message of his speech on Thursday will be hope in the face of adversity, and said the acceptance and support from other students at FSU has allowed him to come to a place of forgiveness.
"There came a time when I needed to leave the comfort zone, and become the person who I am today, and I feel happy with being who I am today," Barhoum said.