This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
On the eve of the third anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing, pop star Ariana Grande has sent a heartfelt message to fans, acknowledging the 'sadness and tremendous heaviness' of the day.
Grande, who was just finishing a concert at the venue on May 22, 2017, when the terrorist attack occurred, killing 22 people and injuring almost 1,000, shared a message of solidarity with the victims on Instagram.
“Not a day goes by that this doesn’t affect you and all of us still,” the 26-year-old wrote, adding: “I will be thinking of you all week and weekend.”
Grande, who has spoken publicly about suffering from PTSD as a result of the attack, returned to Manchester last year to headline the city’s Pride festival.
However, the pandemic has affected plans for this year’s memorial to the victims, with social-distancing measures putting a halt on church services. Manchester Cathedral will instead broadcast two services on its Facebook page, urging people to log on at home rather than attend in person.
“Before the restrictions, it was really important we had connectedness and reached out, family and friends, but also the wider community, to come together,” said Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett died in the attack.
Grande signed off her message with a black heart and a bee emoji, a symbol of hope in the wake of the attack.
