Schoolgirl, 14, left in a wheelchair after being hit by shrapnel in Manchester Arena bomb blast attends tribute concert to prove ‘terrorists won’t win’
A BRAVE schoolgirl who is still wheelchair-bound after being injured in the Manchester Arena attack has gone to the One Love tribute concert to show terrorists they “won’t win”.
Millie Mitchell, 14, who was struck by shrapnel at Ariana Grande’s concert 12 days ago, was bed-bound in hospital for a full day and is still finding it hard to walk.
The teen’s dad had been waiting outside the venue to take her home, and spent a harrowing seven minutes trying to track her down after she rang to tell him she’d been caught in the carnage.
Dad Alasdair, 43, also accompanied his daughter to Sunday night’s One Love concert, in tribute to the 22 people who died at the Manchester Arena attack.
Speaking on the event, which went ahead in defiance of Saturday night’s London Bridge attack, Millie said: “It means the world to be here. I feel lucky, happy and excited. I’m most looking forward to seeing Justin Bieber.
“I was hit by shrapnel in the blast. It was so surreal it didn’t feel like real life, everything I was doing was what my body was telling me, my mind wasn’t thinking.
“It is very important we don’t let them win. If we carry on going they’ve not achieved anything.”
Dad Alasdair told of the moment he found out his daughter had been caught up in the violence.
He said: “I heard the blast and heard people saying there had been a bomb.
“Millie rang to say there had been a bomb and she was bleeding but I just couldn’t find her through the crowd for seven minutes.
“It was horrendous and not something I want to go through again. We are lucky as if she had left five seconds previously then it could have been a different story.
“I was keen for Millie to come today and be in a crowd again so she feels comfortable with that in future and not worried.
“It will only be the second concert I’ve been to and I’m looking forward to the atmosphere.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368.