Ariana made my girl feel like a star
THE FATHER of a little girl injured in the Manchester terror attack said his daughter “feels like a rock star” after meeting Ariana Grande while recovering in hospital.
Lily Harrison was among scores of people hurt in the suicide bombing at Ariana’s concert at the Manchester Arena on May 22.
Lily, eight, is recovering after suffering a shrapnel wound and bruised lung, and the brave youngster, wearing an Ariana Grande top, was all smiles as she received a hug from her pop idol.
Ariana, 23, jetted in to the UK on Friday for this evening’s star-studded One Love Manchester benefit concert and headed straight to see young fans being treated in the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
There were emotional scenes as the youngsters met their idol. Lily’s father Adam said: “I think she feels like she’s a bit of a rock star now. She was so nervous she said, ‘I think I might need to go to the toilet’.” He said that Lily is “chomping at the bit” to go to today’s concert. “I think she’d probably disown me if I didn’t take her,” said Mr Harrison, from Stockport.
Ariana also shared a picture of herself and 10-year-old Jaden Farrell Mann – who suffered fractures to both legs – with her 107 million Instagram followers and captioned it touchingly with a heart.
Jaden’s father wrote on Facebook: “Never seen Jaden so happy! Even cried again myself.”
The singer, who was described as “lovely, adorable and humble”, brought sunflowers and teddy bears as gifts.
During the emotional visit she also met Evie Mills, 14, who suffered a fractured skull and other wounds. Her mother Karen said the visit was unbelievable and “provided pure happiness” for her daughter and the other youngsters. She said: “Evie is just buzzing.”