Courage of Manchester bomb boy
Teen tells of terrible injuries, guilt at his friend’s death... and fury over failings that left terrorist free to strike
A BOY of 15 yesterday gave a harrowing account of how he survived and recovered from the terror blast that killed his best friend.
Adam Lawler revealed that he spent a week in intensive care and had five operations to remove more than 20 nuts and bolts blown into his body during the Manchester Arena bombing.
It left him almost blind in his right eye, with a gaping wound in his face, seven broken teeth, shattered bones in both legs and many other shrapnel wounds.
Adam also told of how his experiences in the bombing had made him cynical and of his continuing fury at suicide bomber Salman Abedi.
And, with a remarkable maturity for his years, he spoke out about the political and security failings that allowed the atrocity to happen.
Adam was seriously injured in the blast which killed 22 – including his close friend Olivia Campbell, also 15. Speaking for the first time, Adam said he feels guilty that he was unable to protect his close school friend, whom he had taken to the concert with tickets given to him as a Christmas present.
The teenager, who will be deputy head boy of Tottington High School, near Bury, when he returns next month, said of the terrorist: ‘Salman Abedi – the name makes my blood boil.
‘He was an inhumane monster. All terrorists [like him] who go over to those hell holes [to train for Islamic State] and bring death, pain and despair to other people are monsters. I don’t care who he was, all I know is I’m alive and he’s dead – he didn’t deserve to be alive. It is to the shame of the Government that he was allowed to go to Libya and come back here.
‘He was on an anti-terror watchlist but the Government did nothing and 22 people are dead. There
‘An inhumane monster’
should be closer analysis of the terrorist threat and more defensive action taken.’
It has been reported that US security services warned MI5 about Abedi, 22, who was born and raised in Manchester, and put him on a watchlist last year. He was also reported to an anti-terror hotline up to five times and even visited a fanatic jailed for helping others join extremists in Syria in prison, but security services did not believe he posed a significant threat.
Adam added: ‘ I’m disgusted by the Government response – and the public response – to terrorism.
‘People change their Facebook status to say “Pray for Manchester” or “Pray for Barcelona” but it’s just lip service, something practically should be done to stop terrorists.
‘I think what’s happened to me has made me more cynical. I am angry – I think about killing Abedi every night for what he did to Liv, to Manchester and to the UK.’
Adam, who described Olivia as a ‘lovely, funny girl,’ said the pair were big fans of US singer Ariana Grande and had a great time at the concert, on May 22, before tragedy struck. He met the American pop singer when she visited survivors a fortnight after the attack.
Adam said he remembers much of the aftermath of the explosion but has tried to block out the images. He is still undergoing counselling.
‘We were exiting through the door when suddenly I felt like I had fallen down and hit my head,’ he said. ‘All I remember is a white light and very severe ringing in my ears.
‘I woke up and I was halfway across the room, my shoes had been blown off and it felt like I was dreaming, in a very bad nightmare.
‘Every vein and vessel in my body was throbbing. I was covered in blood. I couldn’t talk because I was spitting and coughing up blood. I
could feel a hole in my cheek. i was offered a drink and that’s when i realised there was a hole in my chin as well.
‘i tried to stand up but my legs were broken and i slipped over on the blood. my brain was telling me to get up because i needed to go to hospital.’ But it would be two hours before he arrived at manchester Royal infirmary. ‘i thought i was going to die of hypothermia,’ he said. ‘i was violently shivering and was in shock.’
the next day Adam had a ten-hour operation to remove the shrapnel from his body. He spent three weeks in hospital.
Adam, who lives with his mother sally, 48, an accountant, and grandmother, maureen todd, in tottington, said that three days after the attack he awoke and asked his mother what had happened to olivia.
‘i was physically sick when she told me she had gone,’ he said. ‘i still cry about it. i miss olivia a lot and i blame myself for her death. i feel i should have protected her. she was so excited to go to the gig. she loved music and was so funny.’
At present he can see only shapes out of his right eye, but he is due to have an operation next month which doctors hope will restore his vision to between 50 and 70 per cent.