In Arena blast
A MOTHER who woke from a coma to be told her daughter was killed in the Manchester terror attack held a single rose yesterday as she laid her to rest.
Schoolgirl Saffie Rose Roussos, eight, was the youngest of the 22 victims of the bombing at the Ariana Grande concert in May.
Her mother Lisa Roussos, 48, was also injured in the Manchester Arena blast having taken Saffie to see her pop idol.
Yesterday, Saffie’s devastated family were joined by politicians, emergency workers and tearful members of the public as they said their final goodbye at the youngster’s funeral.
Mourners all clutched a single rose as they attended the service at Manchester Cathedral, just a few hundred yards from where terrorist Salman Abedi, 22, detonated his suicide bomb.
Saffie’s casket arrived in a silver hearse at the cathedral, followed by the funeral cortege from Wythenshawe Hospital, where Mrs Roussos is still being treated.
Heartbreaking
Refusing the offer of a wheelchair, Mrs Roussos limped into the service holding a red rose, along with grieving dad Andrew, 43, their son, Xander, 10, and Saffie’s step-sister Ashlee Bromwich, 23.
The rose theme was a request from the family, who invited anyone touched by the loss of Saffie to celebrate her short life.
Her father Andrew was a pallbearer as her coffin was carried inside. He then planted a kiss on its side.
A heartbreaking video montage, set to music by Ariana Grande and showing Saffie in family snaps, was also shown.
Friends hope the three-minute video will be shared online using the hashtag #Saffiethesuperstar, to fulfil her dream of becoming a YouTube star.
A letter written by step-sister Ashlee to Saffie was read aloud.
In it, she said: “I wish I could do justice with my words.
“But how can it be enough to describe the way you lit up our lives.
“Nothing more, nothing less, than I could ever have wanted in Saffie’s mother Lisa Roussos and brother Xander at funeral yesterday a little sister. You gave love and life a whole different meaning. Everything I do from this day forward will be all for you.”
Saffie’s headteacher Chris Upton read a eulogy, describing how the youngster was a huge Ariana Grande fan.
Mr Upton said: “The irony of this tragedy is the concert was a wonderful experience for her, the happiest Lisa and Ashlee had ever seen her.
“Lisa rarely watched the stage that evening but instead her beautiful daughter, who sang every word.” He said the eightyear-old was “clearly destined for great things”.
He said: “As you leave the cathedral today, try and be a little bit more like Saffie – ambitious, good-humoured, loving and passionate. The world will truly be a better place.”
Saffie’s trip to see Ariana Grande was a Christmas present from her parents but as she left with her mother Abedi set off his home-made bomb.
Yesterday, Saffie’s home village of Tarleton, Lancs, was adorned with pink ribbons as a mark of remembrance.