Manchester bomb victim who was 1mm from death
A VICTIM of the Manchester Arena terror attack has revealed how he cheated death by a millimetre when a steel nut was blasted into his heart.
Robby Potter, 47, was 30ft away from terrorist Salman Abedi when he detonated his rucksack bomb packed with lumps of metal.
The amateur rugby player was later told that if the 6mm nut that pierced his heart had entered his body ‘a millimetre either way’ he would not have survived.
The pop concert atrocity on May 22 killed 22 and injured 59.
Mr Potter was waiting with his girlfriend Leonora Ogerio for his daughter Tegan, 11, and her daughter Ashley, 17, to come out of the Ariana Grande gig when Abedi detonated his bomb.
He said: ‘It was like a cloud of mercury exploding – you could see bits of silver everywhere, which was obviously the nuts and bolts he had packed into his bag.
‘My girlfriend went flying – she hit the floor. I felt something in my chest.There was a group of four or five kids... I just jumped in front of them and told them to follow me and as I started to run I felt a lot more shrapnel hit me.
‘Then I eventually dived – I basically collapsed – and fell on the floor.’
Mr Potter, who was in a coma for three weeks, said it was only when he woke in hospital that he was told metal from the blast had punctured his lung and that he had ‘ a couple of bolts stuck through my heart’.
He added: ‘The doctor called me the Miracle Lad. Even after the operation, he said it was still touch and go.’ Recalling how he saw
‘I remember the bomber’s face’
Too close for comfort: An x-ray shows the position of the nut that was blasted into Mr Potter extremist Abedi, 22, just before there is no point hating a man and the front wall of the two blood his act of mass murder, Mr Potter who is already dead.’ vessels [within the heart].’ said: ‘I actually looked at the idiot, Heart surgeon Kandadai RamMr Rammohan said that if the the bomber – he was ten metres mohan, who operated on Mr Potnut had entered Mr Potter’s heart away from me. ter, said an x-ray showed how a ‘a millimetre either way at any
‘I remember his face. I have nut from the bomb became stuck velocity’ he would have died. never asked his name – I don’t in his heart. He added: ‘It was Mr Potter, from Prenton, Wirral, want to know his name because wedged between the back wall said his and Miss Ogerio’s daugh- ters escaped injuriy only because they had stayed for the encore after the concert.
He was initially treated at Manchester’s Wythenshawe Hospital before being transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital near his home.
He has since has since been discharged but Miss Ogerio, 46, who suffered multiple fractures to both her legs, has been transferred to a hospital in North Wales.
She is doing well but is in a wheelchair while her legs are recovering from her injuries.
Mr Potter is staying with his parents Charlie and Helena, both 75, and still has to walk with a crutch while he recovers.
His father said: ‘When I first saw him covered in blood in hospital, he said, “It’s 50-50 Dad”. I said, no, you are going to survive. He is a very determined man.’
He added: ‘I could not believe what had happened when we first heard the news.’
Mr Potter’s rugby club Oldershaw is hosting a friendly match today in Wallasey, Merseyside, to raise funds for the family.