Latest news with #Saffie
ITV News
25-04-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Arena Bomb victim Saffie-Rose Roussos' parents say writing book about her lifted them
The parents of Saffie-Rose Roussos say that writing a book about her life has helped them move forward after their daughter was killed during the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. Speaking to Granada Reports they told presenter Vicky Grimes that though it was one of the hardest things they've ever had to face, they felt they had to do it to present the 'true picture' of the daughter they loved. They believe she is too often just remembered as the 'youngest victim' of the Arena Bombing. Andrew Roussos said: "She was a larger than life character, and we embraced throughout the years her being the youngest victim, because she was, she was the baby of it all. "But as a parent we want to move forward with that because she's much more than that and it was a relief to have the opportunity to explain who Saffie is throughout the book. "And we had a message off somebody, we were talking to somebody... and she says I've read the book, incredible book, but its like a love letter to Saffie." Saffie's mum Lisa added: "That's the reaction we want isn't it, we want Saffie's character to come through in the book." Saffie-Rose was one of 22 people killed when a terrorist detonated a bomb after an Ariane Grande concert at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017, leaving hundreds injured, amongst them Saffie's mum Lisa and sister Ashlee. So severe were Lisa's injuries that doctors gave her just a 15 percent chance of survival as she lay in a coma for eight days. All that time Andrew knew that once she awoke he would have to tell her the devastating news. Lisa recalled: "I remember thinking when Andrew told me about Saffie, I just couldn't deal with it, so I thought to myself I need to put that away because I can't deal with that because of how badly injured I was. "I felt I had to get physically well, or better, before I could even try to begin to understand what's happened. "So I sort of put that away, and the staff and everybody at Wythenshawe Hospital were just so amazing, they cared for us, they looked after us, they became our family. "And they became people that we trusted in our lives. They just do amazing work. We'll be forever grateful for every thing they did for us." But despite their own traumatic experiences they also have time to remember other victims of terror attacks like the parents of the children killed and injured in the stabbings in Southport, and they say they want the book to give them hope too. Lisa said: "Its just devastating, my heart breaks for them. But there really is hope. "There really is and just hang on in there, its a tough journey but there is hope." Andrew agreed, adding, "Its is a tough journey, it is. "Somehow you find you find yourself til tomorrow and before you know it the days go. "It is horrendous, it is. Along the way you will meet people that will just lift you slightly, and just help you along the way." Lisa said, "Just surround yourself with people that you love and trust. "I'd like to give them a hug from one mum to another." In the aftermath of the attack Andrew became aware that Ariane Grande herself was being criticised by some sections of the media, and he decided he had to meet her to tell her that, as the father of one of the victims, he was there to help her too. "I thought it was wrong, I thought the way the press handled it ... I think she was 21 at the time.. that it was wrong and I just wanted to reach out and hold her hand and say how much she meant to Saffie, and what you did coming to Manchester to sing, this is not your fault. "All your guards are down, you're crying, you're just hugging each other, trying to make sense of it all. "But at the same time she needed to know 'This is not your fault', cos she can't carry that on her for the rest of her life." The family now live in the West Country, but they say that the people of the North West will forever live in their hearts for the outpouring of grief and sympathy that followed the atrocity, and they say they'll never get over the depth of care shown by the medical staff who cared for the family. Though they say they have been able to move on to a degree, in part because of the cathartic effect of writing the book, they still keep a room for Saffie in their new home to help keep her memory alive for other family members. They stress that its not a shrine, but a living space for other family members like their granddaughter. Looking back on their beloved daughter Andrew and Lisa say they want her to be remembered not just as another victim of terrorism but as the special little girl she was, loving, lively with a zest for life. Lisa said, "For her bubbly, beautiful nature that she was, for her love she had for everything in life and everyone." Andrew said his thoughts are slightly different, taking in the touching picture of his daughter on the front of the book, "I'm going to answer that in a different way. "We chose that picture for a reason, just look at that face. "I remember her for that, that's Saffie."
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
'Saffie is so much more than youngest bomb victim'
The parents of Saffie Roussos want their daughter to be remembered as "something much more than the youngest victim" of the Manchester Arena bombing. Saffie was just eight years old when she was killed - along with 21 others - when a bomb was detonated at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017. Her parents Andrew and Lisa Roussos, from Leyland, Lancashire, have written a book, sharing how they turned their grief into a story of hope. Mr Roussos said: "We are responsible for Saffie - we are her voice, her spirit. Everything we do now is for that little girl." "It was important for us to close a chapter on 2017. It's a hell of a battle to go through what happened," he said. "Saffie's always been the youngest victim, which is something that we embrace as she was. "But moving forward Saffie is something much more than the youngest victim. "It was important for us to channel that into a book, tell it from our own words, our own perspective and close that chapter of 2017 to move positively forward with Saffie." Saffie was leaving the concert with her mum and sister when Salman Abedi detonated a homemade explosive on the evening of 22 May 2017. Mrs Roussos spent six weeks in a coma and only learned of Saffie's death from her husband when she regained consciousness. Hundreds more were also injured in the blast in the arena's foyer. Mrs Roussos told BBC Breakfast that they wanted to give others who face unimaginable heartbreak hope, by sharing their daughter's story. "There is hope. You think there isn't but there is," she said. "As long as you have that hope in whatever it is you want to do moving forward, it does give you that little bit of something to carry on." She said they were just "a normal, regular family [who] did everything together" before their lives "just completely changed". "Saffie was such a huge part of the family," she said. "She took centre stage all the time so to suddenly not have that and cope and move forward, it was extremely difficult." Manchester attack: The victims Mrs Roussos said they also wanted to praise the medics at Wythenshawe Hospital, where she was treated for her injuries. "They were amazing and still are amazing," she said. Mr Roussos described the care as "above and beyond", adding "to this day they are close friends with us". The book, titled Saffie, was written by investigative reporter David Collins, who said her parents wanted to "capture who Saffie was as a person". "They are such a special family and I mean that from the bottom of my heart," he said. "The reason their story resonates with the entire nation and public is because we see our own families and ourselves in them. "It could have been anybody." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Arena inquiry: Saffie's mum on hearing the truth 'I believe in my heart Saffie would have survived' Garden tribute to Manchester bomb's youngest victim
BBC News
25-04-2025
- BBC News
Manchester Arena attack: 'Saffie is much more than youngest victim'
The parents of Saffie Roussos want their daughter to be remembered as "something much more than the youngest victim" of the Manchester Arena was just eight years old when she was killed - along with 21 others - when a bomb was detonated at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May parents Andrew and Lisa Roussos, from Leyland, Lancashire, have written a book, sharing how they turned their grief into a story of Roussos said: "We are responsible for Saffie - we are her voice, her spirit. Everything we do now is for that little girl." "It was important for us to close a chapter on 2017. It's a hell of a battle to go through what happened," he said."Saffie's always been the youngest victim, which is something that we embrace as she was."But moving forward Saffie is something much more than the youngest victim."It was important for us to channel that into a book, tell it from our own words, our own perspective and close that chapter of 2017 to move positively forward with Saffie." Saffie was leaving the concert with her mum and sister when Salman Abedi detonated a homemade explosive on the evening of 22 May 2017. Mrs Roussos spent six weeks in a coma and only learned of Saffie's death from her husband when she regained more were also injured in the blast in the arena's Roussos told BBC Breakfast that they wanted to give others who face unimaginable heartbreak hope, by sharing their daughter's story."There is hope. You think there isn't but there is," she said."As long as you have that hope in whatever it is you want to do moving forward, it does give you that little bit of something to carry on." She said they were just "a normal, regular family [who] did everything together" before their lives "just completely changed"."Saffie was such a huge part of the family," she said."She took centre stage all the time so to suddenly not have that and cope and move forward, it was extremely difficult." The book, titled Saffie, was written by investigative reporter David Collins, who said her parents wanted to "capture who Saffie was as a person"."They are such a special family and I mean that from the bottom of my heart," he said."The reason their story resonates with the entire nation and public is because we see our own families and ourselves in them. "It could have been anybody." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
