I needed to say thank-you to Manchester. . .
I’VE BEEN OVERWHELMED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PAYING THEIR RESPECTS - IT IS A FANTASTIC PLACE, SAYS COURTNEY’S DAD
THE heartbroken father of teenager Courtney Boyle has thanked the people of Manchester for the outpouring of love in the aftermath of the atrocity.
Robert travelled to the city as soon as he heard about the bombing and says that he has been overwhelmed by the numbers of people coming to pay their respects to those who died.
Unable to face spending time in his hotel room as he waited to meet with the police and coroner, he says he has spent hours walking the city streets over the last few days and has been touched by the grief and respect shown by the people of Manchester.
He said: “Before I left I felt I needed to say something, to say thank you to the people of Manchester. I can’t say enough how much it has meant to me, the support has been unbelievable and I cannot express how much the support of the people everywhere in town has meant. I have been in town today, yesterday and the day before and I have been watching all these people, coming together, it has been fantastic to see how everybody cares. This is a fantastic place.
“I have laid flowers myself, a candle and a photo but so many people have come. I’ve watched them standing, waiting in line to lay flowers, seeing everybody has been fantastic. I have seen the tears have flowed and everybody I have spoken to has been great.
“I have wanted to go up to individuals, to thank them but they didn’t know who I was, I couldn’t. But I also couldn’t leave without saying thank you.
“I came to Manchester as soon as I found out, I have been walking around among people, so many people coming together in an amazing way. I have been wandering around, I couldn’t just sit in the hotel and walking around seeing everyone has been fantastic.”
Courtney, 19, had travelled from Gateshead to attend the Ariana Grande concert with her mother Deborah’s partner Philip Tron. Both were confirmed dead on Wednesday. Mr Boyle was in town, close to St Ann’s Square, for the two-minutes’ silence on Thursday.
He said: “We have met with the police and the coroner, they have been really supportive but it is the way people throughout Manchester have been that has meant the most.
“I don’t think I will ever be able to come to Manchester again, but I do want to thank everyone.”