 Kiva Lu became a part of one of the biggest stories in Boston history on Marathon Monday. Kiva was filming a documentary following runner Rebecca Roach through her training for the Boston Marathon. The BU grad student staked out a spot with Rebecca's boyfriend and family just outside Marathon Sports on Boylston Street to capture her subject crossing the finish line. Her decision to follow Rebecca's boyfriend as he reunited with her after the marathon may have saved her life. I hesitated whether I should follow him or not because it was it was so crowded I may lost him and I know they're gonna come back to the store I can interview them but finally I decided to to run after like follow him. When I just left where I stayed the the bomb just happened behind me. I saw the smoke I smelled I even smelled it and I didn't know what happened until the people like behind me yelled at me what are you looking at what are you waiting for you have to run and I people around me are so scary there are some tears in their eyes and I I know that there must be something wrong and I so I moved with them to push me forward until I arrived the empty space near the coupling station. Just how close was Kiva to the actual explosion these two flags at the bomb site are seen over Kiva's right shoulder in this photo taken on race day morning she's just feet from where the bomb went off the bomb is just I mean we're three scores down from where it happened yes this is where you were when it went off yes it's about there and when I ran here how lucky do you feel that you moved down the street a little of course very lucky and I even because the bomb was happened just where I stayed you know and I feel like if I don't make the decision to to run away and to stick on the the runner I'm filming I must be died so I feel like probably the insistence of catching the best footage of me like that's the face of me kept you alive yes like any good journalist Kiva wanted to capture the moment here's some of the footage she shot in the immediate aftermath of the explosions and all of a sudden there was a big huge boom smoke came flying out and another boom and everybody started running and that was exactly what happened I feel a little weary since I was in New York in 9-11 and it's just a shame that we can't even enjoy sporting events without having to worry about being harmed Kiva took to Facebook to assure friends and family that she was okay she left behind in the blast area her purse and a backpack with a laptop computer she would live for more than a week without them this image shows a blue camera bag among the destruction that is Kiva's adding to her distress of living without her belongings Kiva found out that an earthquake back home in China had struck an area where her parents lived thankfully they were not injured life has begun to move on down on Boyleson street residents and tourists visit the memorials to remember the victims Kiva returned to reflect how do you feel like your role that day with with the camera and documenting this attack how does that make you feel as a journalist as a journalist I was I was so confused when I did everything like after that day until I really finished the news package I feel like it's your responsibility to record everything happened and to present to people who don't know about that we have to be be stronger to live with this but it's still something take times Kiva's work proves that the role of the journalist is invaluable in breaking news stories she comes from far away in China but like everybody else who was in Boston on that Monday she is Boston strong Kiva plans to cover the marathon next year on Boyleson street Mike Neff for the Boston University News Service