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Georgina Callander, 18, And Saffie Rose Roussos, 8, First Victims Named In Manchester Terror Attack

By Tara Dodrill
Published on: 01:40 PST, May 23, 2017

Georgina Callender, 18, and Saffie Rose Roussos, 8, are the first victims named in the Ariana Grande concert terror attack in Manchester, England. Callender met her idol in 2015 and tweeted Grande just before walking into the concert. A total of 21 people were killed in the bombing ISIS has now claimed credit for, and dozens more were injured.

“My meet and greet photos came through, she was so cute and lovely, I hugged her so tight and she said she loved my bow. I can’t get over this, I never will,” Georgina Callender, who went by Gina, tweeted along with a photo of herself and Ariana Grande before the concert at Manchester Arena last night.

In the photo, Gina Callender is shown receiving a hug from Ariana Grande backstage before a previous concert.

“After 6 years of waiting I finally got to meet and see my love. I am so happy right now. Hands down the best concert of my life,” Callender wrote in another tweet about her meeting with the pop singer.

The Manchester terror attack victim was from Chorley in Lancashire. She was in her second year of studying health and social care at Runshaw College. During an interview with a close friend of Gina Callander, the Evening Standard learned the 18-year-old Ariana Grande fan died at a Manchester area hospital with her loving mother at her side.

Gina Callender’s friends took to social media to pay tribute to the young woman. The Ariana Grande fan was described as being a beautiful girl both inside and out and having an amazingly kind heart and sweet soul. Some friends referred to Callender as a “ray of sunshine.”

“Just met this girl in April. She was killed last night in Manchester. My love to her and all the families of the victims,” actor Sean Maguire posted to his Twitter feed when paying his respects to the Manchester terror attack victim.

Saffie Rose Roussos is believed to be the youngest Manchester terror attack fatality. She was from Leyland, Lancashire. Saffie Roussos went to the Ariana Grande concert with her older sister, Ashlee Bromwich, 20, and her mother.

Initially, Saffie Rose Roussos was reported as missing after she was separated from her older sister and her mother after the terror attack at the pop concert, the Daily Mail reports. Lisa Roussos and Bromwich were taken to different hospitals after sustaining non-life threatening injuries from shrapnel which tore through the air after the suicide bomber set of the explosive device.

“News of Saffie’s death in this appalling attack has come as a tremendous shock to all of us and I would like to send our deepest condolences to all of her family and friends,” Tarleton Community Primary School head teacher Chris Upton, said in a prepared statement. “The thought that anyone could go out to a concert and not come home is heartbreaking.”

The head teacher went on to describe Saffie Roussos as a beautiful child who exuded “warmth and kindness” and will be fondly remembered by everyone at the school.

“Saffie was quiet and unassuming with a creative flair,” Upton added.

At least twelve children under the age of 16 were among the Manchester terror attack casualties. Approximately 59 people were injured when a suicide bomber set off an explosive device at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena, the Guardian reports.

The medical director of the North West ambulance service, David Ratcliffe, told local reporters 12 Manchester terror attack victims were transported to an area children’s hospital. Nine other victims were taken to another medical care facility in the same area, with many more being taken to hospitals throughout the Greater Manchester area.

[Featured Image by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP]

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