Manchester Bombing Inspires Incredible Acts Of Generosity And Heroism

#StandTogether.
|

Heroic Mancunians are being praised for their acts of generosity following the attack at Manchester Arena on Monday night, which left at least 22 people killed and a further 59 injured, including children.

From free taxi rides to offers of cups of tea, residents came out in force to help those affected by the attack, which was carried out by a suicide bomber as crowds left an Ariana Grande concert.

Here are the stories of the true heroes of the Manchester terror attack:

1. The taxi driver offering free taxi rides

AJ Singh, a taxi driver in Manchester, said that he was trying to help out “everywhere I could”.

“I’ve had people who needed to find loved ones, I’ve dropped them off to the hospital, they’re not had any money, they’ve been stranded,” he told Channel 4 News.

“There’s no transport in Manchester, all the roads are closed, it’s really hard to get around.” 

2. Hotels offering shelter

Hotels near to the venue offered to take people in who were caught up in the attack.

The Premier Inn and Holiday Inn both took in concert-goers who had been separated from their groups.

According to unverified reports, a woman also led about 50 children to safety after they became separated from their parents or guardians.

Hotel chains near to the venue were contacted by HuffPost UK but denied the children were brought to them.

3. Two homeless men rush to help the injured

Chris Parker, 33, was in the foyer area of the venue, where he regularly goes to beg for money as crowds leave the arena when the blast hit.

He said he heard a “bang” and then saw a “white flash, then smoke”. He then heard people screaming.

“It knocked me to the floor and then I got up and instead of running away my gut instinct was to run back and try and help,” he told the Press Association.

“There was people lying on the floor everywhere.”

Parker tended to a little girl and a woman aged in her 60s.

Speaking of the woman, who was badly hurt from the bombing with serious leg and head injuries, he said: “She passed away in my arms. She was in her 60s and said she had been with her family.

“I haven’t stopped crying,” he said.

Stephen Jones, 35, was sleeping near the venue on Monday night when he heard a bang coming from the venue.

“I then realised what was happening and saw children coming out, screaming and covered in blood,” Jones told ITV News.

“We were having to pull nails and bits of glass out of their arms and faces,” he said. “We haven’t slept most of the night because of what we’ve seen.”

4. Rabbi delivers coffees and pasties to police 

Rabbi Shneur Cohen was filmed delivering refreshments to officers standing outside the Manchester arena on Tuesday morning.

5. The emergency services caring for dozens of injured people

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents health service organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said: “Together with the other emergency services, frontline NHS responders, managers, and other staff have once again responded superbly to a major incident and are providing the treatment, care and support that is needed.

“It is at times like these that as a society we really appreciate how important the health service is in all our lives.“

The police are also being praised for their actions on Monday night, with this picture of a little girl being comforted by an officer being shared on social media.

6. Sikh temples offering food and accommodation

The details and locations of Sikh temples offering food and accommodation were shared on social media for people seeking safety.

7. Residents offering overnight accommodation

Scores of people asked people in need to contact them if they required somewhere to stay following the attack.

8. Offers of cups of tea

9. People donating blood

Queues began to form outside blood banks in Manchester on Tuesday morning, with residents eager to help the wounded in any way they could.

GiveBlood NHS posted a notice on social media informing people that they currently have enough blood required for hospital patients.

So many people were offering to help that GiveBlood NHS asked people not to just turn up at donation centres and instead to sign up as blood donors.