It’s been one year since the Manchester attack and tributes are flooding in for the victims killed in the bombing.
On 22 May last year, 21-year-old Salman Ramadan Abedi bombed an Ariana Grande concert, killing 23 people (including Abedi) and injuring 59.
Ariana Grande tweeted this morning (22 May) her deepest love for everyone involved in the Manchester attack.
Alongside the emoji of a bee, she wrote:
thinking of you all today and every day
I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 22, 2018
Ariana Grande went back to Manchester after the attack to hold a benefit concert for the victims.
‘You are the absolute love of my life’
Among the victims was 29-year-old gay man Martyn Hett.
At the time of the bombing, Mariah Carey posted a loving tribute to Martyn, who was a superfan of the Hero singer.
And now Martyn’s friends made a heartbreaking video in loving memory.
Lee Dawson told GSN he ‘never knew Martyn’ but ‘quickly learned what an incredible person he was.’
He explained how the moving video came about: ‘I knew the service was happening and when I was speaking with one of Martyn’s closest friends about the upcoming service, when the topic of them needing a video came up, I immediately offered.’
It nearly marks a year since the events in Manchester. Thank you to @martynhett‘s incredible friends and family for trusting me to make this in his memory. This is how you live life, with laughter and endless love. #BeMoreMartyn
— Lee Dawson (@LeeDawsonPT) May 21, 2018
Martyn’s closest friend Russell Hayward wrote on Twitter last night (21 May): ‘You are the absolute love of my life and best friend.
‘I’m so sad we won’t get to do the things we said we would, but I’m slowly starting to do them privately.’
He then wrote in a later tweet: ‘We will be setting off 22 balloons and celebrating Martyn’s colourful life. 22 people died that night but their spirits will always live on.’
Manchester mayor: ‘We’re a city in recovery’
Martyn’s stepfather Stuart Murray told BBC’s Radio 4 this morning (22 May): ‘We’re going to have quite a house full of his friends coming around. When we see his friends, we see different bits of him.’
The family will be having a quiet day out of the public eye, just focusing on remembering Martyn.
On the attacker, Stuart said he didn’t blame Islam: ‘Him as an individual, was just misled and misguided.’
Over 10,000 people are expected to join a mass singalong in Manchester tonight. Bells will also ring across the city at 10:31pm – the exact time of the attack.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said the city was still in recovery.
He said: ‘Manchester has changed. We’re stronger and more together and there is a palpable sense of community spirit. But underneath the scars are very real and deep.
‘We’re a city in recovery,’ he said.
