Mother of Manchester bomb victim establishes charity in her honour

The mother of the youngest Manchester terror attack victim has set up a charity in her daughter’s honour, and will take on a “painful” 10k to raise funds.

Lisa Roussos was gravely injured in May 2017, when 22-year-old Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb at the end of the Manchester Arena Ariana Grande concert.

Her eight-year-old daughter, Saffie-Rose, died in the blast.

She told the Sunday Mirror: “I remember hitting the floor. I was paralysed.

“All I could think of was my daughters. I’d been holding Saffie’s hand.”

Mrs Roussos was in a coma for six weeks with 117 shrapnel wounds and a 20% chance of survival, and only informed of Saffie’s death when she woke up.

But, after nearly two years of rehabilitation, including learning how to walk again, Mrs Roussos is determined to find something positive in the experience, and has established 22MCR to help victims and the bereaved of the attack.

She will kickstart the fundraising by walking the 10 kilometre Great Manchester Run on May 19 alongside one of her surgeons, her physios, and two intensive care nurses.

Mrs Roussos said: “I started by taking a couple of steps in my room with walking aids and eventually managed to walk down the corridor, but it was a huge effort.

“But having something to focus on has given me a purpose, a reason to get out of bed.

“I just hope I make it round, Saffie would think it was great.”