The family and partner of John Atkinson have paid tribute to him in a heartbreaking statement.
The partner and family of one of the Manchester bombing victims have paid tribute to a “loving, loyal, kind and caring” man who had been with his partner, Michael for 15 years. They described their loss as immeasurable.
John was one of the first victims to be announced shortly after the bombing at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
Through a statement the family said,
John was the devoted Son of Daryl and Kevan. He was the loving partner of Michael, they had been together for 15 years. He was a caring and thoughtful Brother to Stacey, Laura and Amy. John was also a dear Uncle, Nephew, Cousin and friend to many people. He adored his Sisters and his nephews – his loss to them is immeasurable. John would text his Mum and Sisters every day making sure that they were okay.
John worked as a support worker, looking after people with Autism and Asperger’s. He loved his job and particularly enjoyed taking the service users out into the local community. John had a huge positive impact on the lives of the people that he looked after. They will feel his loss greatly.
John loved life and he lived his life to the fullest. He was loving, loyal, kind and caring. Nobody mattered more to John than the people that he loved. He was the life and soul of his family and was larger than life. John was well loved for his ‘on point’ eyebrows and his Nike flip-flops – He was never seen without either. Recently John lost 8 stone with Slimming World and he was immensely proud of this achievement. He had also taken up going to the gym and daily he would swim a mile at the local leisure centre.
He was music mad! He adored pop music, particularly anything that he could sing along to. John was not somebody that you could have a cross word with – he was too kind and thoughtful for that. He had a heart of Gold.
John’s senseless death has left our family broken hearted. Our lives have been shattered beyond belief. We will continue to miss John every day, until the end of time.
Singer Ariana Grande is returning to the UK for a concert which will raise money for the victims of the Manchester bombing last week.
Ariana Grande will be joined by Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Usher, Take That and Niall Horan to perform in Manchester in aid of the victims of last Monday’s terrorist attack in Manchester, in which 22 people were killed and over 100 others injured.
The concert is called the One Love Manchester benefit concert and it will take place on the 4th June. The concert will take place at the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground. General admission and hospitality tickets will be on sale through Ticketmaster (ticketmaster.co.uk/arianagrandemanchester) fromThursday 1 June 2017 at 10:00 AM
Ariana Grande called on the biggest international names in music to join her for the evening, including Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Usher, Take That, Niall Horan, and others. The concert will be broadcast on BBC Television, and on BBC Radio and Capital Radio Networks. The BBC will be the host broadcaster for international television networks.
All net ticket proceeds of the show will go directly to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund which was set up by the Manchester City Council in partnership with the British Red Cross, in aid of grieving families and victims of the horrific attack.
Ariana Grande said, in an open letter posted on her social media accounts:
“My heart, prayers and condolences are with the victims of the Manchester Attack and their loved ones. There is nothing I or anyone can do to take away the pain you are feeling or to make this better. However, I extend my hand and heart and everything I possibly can give to you and yours, should you want or need my help in any way.”
“We will not quit or operate in fear. We won’t let this divide us. We won’t let hate win… Our response to this violence must be to come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder and to live more kindly and generously than we did before.”
“Music is meant to heal us, to bring us together, to make us happy. So that is what it will continue to do for us. We will continue to honour the ones we lost, their loved ones, my fans and all affected by this tragedy. They will be on my mind and in my heart everyday and I will think of them with everything I do for the rest of my life.”
The attack – which took place after Ariana’s Dangerous Woman concert at Manchester Arena on Monday 22 May – killed 22 people, seven of whom were children, and injured hundreds of others.
Hundreds of people turned up to a memorial held in the memory Martyn Hett, who died along with 21 others during the Manchester bombing last week.
At the end of a one minute’s silence, Martyn’s friend, Rob – sung an emotional, heartbreaking tribute of “Till The End Of Time” a Mariah Carey track from her second album, Emotions.
A minutes silence broken by a phenomenal rendition of a Mariah Carey track by Martyn Hett's friend, Rob. pic.twitter.com/J7AJByS4xL
— Hits Radio News | Manchester (@hitsmcrnews) May 28, 2017
Martyn Hett was 29 when he was killed by a suicide bomber at the end of an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena last week. He was one of 22 fatalities.
Speaking at the memorial his mother called Martyn an “iconic diva” and thank everyone for their messages of love and support since his death. She also called the family’s liaison officers “absolute angels”.
She said that she was never going to go down the route of hate or anger for whoever was responsible and the goodness that she’s seen since his death had “by far outweighed the darkness”.
Ariana Grande has told fans she will return and told her fans she will do what for them – whatever they need.
Ariana Grande has broken her silence since her initial tweet after Monday night’s bombing of her concert in Manchester. Taking to Twitter she wrote to her 46 million fans that she was going to return to Manchester to perform a special fundraising concert for the victims of the suicide bombing.
She said that although there was nothing she could do to take away the pain her fans were feeling, she would “extend her hand and heart” and give whatever she could possibly give should they need her help.
In the letter to her fans she praised their diversity and beauty. She vowed not to be cowed by the attack and said that her fans should not let the action of the bomber divide them.
Twenty-two people were killed after a blast ripped through Manchester Arena during the end of her concert on Monday night. Up to 21,000 fans were in attendance of the concert.
At around 10:3o/33 PM as the singer, who was on a world tour had finished her concert and thousands of people were streaming out of the concert venue when a bomb was detonated.
Witnesses say that the bomb went off outside the auditorium.
This is the simple emotional Tweet sent by Martyn’s brother, Dan Hett and it says it all.
All day Martyn Hett’s name trended on Twitter after it was revealed that he was one of the 22 fatalities of the Manchester bombing on Monday night.
Martyn didn’t just trend in the UK, but worldwide his name sat above that of Pope Francis. Martyn was a well-loved figure from Manchester’s LGBT community and yesterday many people took to social media to express their sadness, memories and loss.
Here’s just a little of the love that was shown for Martyn as the devastating loss was announced on social media.
Originally I thought this was an ingenious idea. I was going to push each column back a day until we reached Thursday, 8 June – election day. So this one was meant to be sent to my editor on Monday night, for publication on Tuesday.
I can’t put into words how utterly devastated I am – how utterly devastated all of us at THEGAYUK are – about what happened at Manchester Evening News Arena on Monday night. 22 beautiful, young lights were snuffed out far too early by a hateful “loser,” as US President Donald Trump rightly called him. Twenty-two young girls and boys, women and men, lost their lives because some twisted soul bought into an ideology of hate.
Speaking only for myself, I have wept uncontrollably for those we lost in Manchester – those beautiful, precious children and their equally precious parents who just wanted to see a pop idol sing. I pray to God that anyone and everyone responsible is brought not only to justice, but to His wrath. I hope they burn in Hell.
In the wake of the horrific attack in Manchester, the parties have halted campaigning until at least the weekend. Some have criticised this decision, but I think it wholly right. At the end of the day, we’re all British (except me; I’m American – but I desperately wish I were British). This is a national tragedy, the likes of which we haven’t seen in twelve years, since the 7/7 attacks in 2005. Politics suddenly seems much less important when our children are being killed by terrorist thugs as end leave what was meant to be one of the happiest nights of their lives.
As the contributing political editor for THEGAYUK, I had a decision to make: do I write in defiance of the terrorists, or do I follow suit with our political parties and cease political coverage for the next few days? I’ve grappled with this question all day, and I don’t know that I have the right answer. But I arrived at my answer.
I’m not going to write about politics today.
Instead, I’m going to talk about the victims who have been publicly identified, talk about their lives, and talk about what it is I think makes Britain so goddamn special.
I hope you’ll understand.
Saffie-Rose Roussos was 8. She became separated from her sister and mum – who at the time I’m writing this is still in hospital and unaware her daughter has died – and was killed in the terrorist attack. According to the Telegraph, her headteacher, Chris Upton said “Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone.” She was “unassuming, with a creative flair,” he said, and “she was loved by everyone and her warmth and kindness will be remembered fondly.”
Georgina Callander was 18. Her mother, Leslie, was the first to lay a flower at Tuesday’s vigil in Manchester’s Albert Square. A self-proclaimed “Arianator” (the nickname for those in the Ariana Grande fandom), Georgina was seeing her idol for at least the second time. She was also an avid fan of Once Upon a Time, a television show about fairy tale characters. Several of the cast members, including Rebecca Mader (who played the Wicked Witch of the West) and Emelie de Ravin (who played Belle) tweeted condolences, remembering Georgina. (As a fellow Oncer, Georgina holds a special place in my heart, and I tweeted at series creator Adam Horowitz asking that, as another fan requested, the first episode of series 7 be dedicated in her honour.)
Kelly Brewster was 32. She had just put the deposit on a house with her partner, intent on building a life with him and his daughter. According to the Daily Mail, she shielded her young niece, Hollie, from the shrapnel coming from the nail bomb. Hollie survived thanks to her aunt’s courage, as did Kelly’s sister – Hollie’s mum. The Daily Mail spoke to the father of Kelly’s partner, Ian, who said he is ‘absolutely distraught.’
Alison Howe and Leslie Lees were waiting for their daughters to come out of the concert when they were killed. Both were from Royton, Oldham according to the Mirror. “They took a caring beautiful mum and step mother away from us all she was amazing to us x love you loads Alison Howe xx,” her stepson Jordan Howe posted on Facebook – again, according to the Mirror, who also reports that around the same time Leslie’s brother said she was “gone, but never ever forgotten.” These two mums were trying to collect their daughters from a pop concert. That’s it.
These are the victims, as of 3:33 GMT on 24 May, I know of. More will surely be made known by the time this is published. (ed note: RIP to Martyn Hett)
Their stories are equally worth telling. All 22 (and, God forbid, counting) souls’ stories are worth telling. It would be my honour to write them all.
I may never get that chance, but what I have now is a chance to use my platform as a contributing editor of this magazine and a writer for other British outlets to say this: they will not have died in vain. Their stories will be told, and their loss will redouble our efforts to confront the scourge of extremism within our own borders and abroad – that evil ideology, irrespective of religion, that seeks to divide us. The terrorists won a battle; they will not win the war.
Britain is at its best when it is united. It is what I love most about this country – a country that, no matter who you are or where you’re from can come together over a cup of tea. If that sounds quaint, it is, but it’s also honest – as the assassinated Labour MP Jo Cox said, we have more that unites us than divides us.
Britain is a beautiful, resilient country that will not be cowed by terrorists. No matter our sexuality, our race, our religion – no matter anything – we will always come together. The Mancunians showed us that last night, offering their houses to strangers and their taxi rides free of charge. They took the stranger in. Why? Because they’re British, and their neighbours were in need. That’s what we do in this country.
And though I’m American, I know a thing or two about the British spirit. I know how unbreakable it is. Times are scary, and times are tough. We’ve suffered devastating losses. But as long as we stand together, united, we cannot be defeated.
I’ll get back to politics later this week. I have an interview with Labour MP Peter Kyle that’s not to be missed and my usual witty observations. In the meantime, I ask that you pray for Manchester – or, if you’re of no faith, keep them in your thoughts. After all…
A man who starred and won an episode of Come Dine With Me with his boyfriend has been confirmed as one of the fatalities of the Manchester Bombing on Monday evening.
Martyn Hett has been confirmed, by his brother as being one of the victims of the Manchester bombing, which left 22 dead and 59 injured at the end of an Ariana Grande concert. Family and friends were desperately seeking for more information about Martyn’s whereabouts after he failed to check in with them after the concert.
His brother, Dan Hett, left a simple message on Twitter saying, “they found my brother last night. we are heartbroken”.
A vigil will take place this evening in Albert Square from 6 PM to pay tribute to the twenty-two killed at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. Manchester’s newly elected mayor, Andy Burnham confirmed the vigil when he spoke to the press earlier outside Manchester’s town hall.
Manchester Police confirmed that a bomb exploded at Manchester Arena. Twenty-two people were killed after a blast ripped through Manchester Arena foyer the end of the concert. Up to 21,000 fans were in attendance of the concert.
At around 10:3o/33 PM as Ariana Grande had finished her concert, thousands of people were streaming out of the concert venue when the bomb was detonated. Police confirm the bomber was killed by his own explosion.
Witnesses say that the bomb went off outside the auditorium.
ISIS have claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing that has rocked Manchester concert venue.
According to reports, ISIS have claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing which ripped through Manchester Arena’s foyer, killing 22 people and injured 59 others. The male which some media outlets have dubbed a “lone wolf” bomber was confirmed, by police, to have died on site.
The terrorist group released statements through their media outlet which praised the atrocity. It claimed that more than 100 “crusaders” were wounded or killed at the concert which it said was “shameless”.
The English version said,
“With Allah’s grace and support, a soldier of the Khilafah [caliphate] managed to place explosive devices in the midst of the gatherings of the crusaders in the British city of Manchester”.
Speaking at a press conference, the Chief Constable of Manchester’s police force, Ian Hopkins called the bombing the “most horrific” incident that Manchester has faced.
He said,
“Families and many young people were out to enjoy a concert at the Manchester Arena and have lost their lives. Our thoughts are with those 22 victims that we now know have died, the 59 people who have been injured and their loved ones.
Emergency numbers have been established for anyone who is concerned for loved ones who may not have returned home 0161 856 9400 or 0161 856 9900.
Friends are desperately looking for their friend, Martyn Hett following the suicide bombing in Manchester.
Friends of TV star and PR manager Martyn Hett have launched a desperate bid to find him after he apparently attended the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. The concert was targetted by a suicide bomber and twenty-two people have been confirmed killed. There are 59 people who have also suffered injuries. Around 8 hospitals in and around the Manchester area are dealing with the injured.
Mr Hett has not been heard of since he apparently tweeted from the venue, a few hours before the bomb exploded.
Friends of Mr Hett took to Twitter to ask if anyone had seen or spotted him in a desperate bid to find out whether he is safe.
His brother, Dan Hett, tweeted that he had not heard from Martyn and that he had failed to check in. He asked if anyone had seen or her from Martyn to contact him.
Mr Hett, starred and won an episode of Come Dine With Me, in which he appeared with his boyfriend. The pair suffered trolling on their appearance from some viewers on social media.
When you sneak out for a toilet break on the Macy Gray song and the entire arena had the same idea #DangerousWomanTour
Manchester’s first openly gay Lord Mayor Carl Austin-Behan has taken to Twitter to share his dismay at the terrorist incident unfolding in Manchester.
DURING HAPPIER TIMES: Carl Austin-Behan celebrating at Manchester Airport with his consort Simon Austin-Behan
The former Lord Mayor of Manchester said that he was “heartbroken, sick and numb” following on from the news that 22 people are dead and 59 injured following a suicide bombing at Manchester Arena.
Wide awake, feeling sick, heartbroken and numb. My thoughts and prayers are with everybody affected by tonight's attack on Manchester.
— Dr Carl Austin-Behan OBE “Ozzy” 💙 (@CarlAustinBehan) May 23, 2017
My heart goes out to all those killed or injured this evening at The Manchester Arena please follow @gmpolice for updates.
— Dr Carl Austin-Behan OBE “Ozzy” 💙 (@CarlAustinBehan) May 22, 2017
Manchester Police have confirmed that a bomb has exploded at Manchester Arena, killing 22 people and injuring 59. They have been treating the incident as a “terrorist event”.
Twenty-two people have been killed after a blast ripped through Manchester Arena during the end of an Ariana Grande concert. Up to 21,000 fans were in attendance of the concert.
At around 10:3o/33 PM as Ariana Grande had finished her concert, thousands of people were streaming out of the concert venue went a bomb was detonated.
Witnesses say that the bomb went off outside the auditorium.
