Shortly after the Manchester attack at an Ariana Grande concert that left 22 people dead, WWE announced that they would be canceling their planned NXT live event in the city, and would be offering fans a refund or a free ticket to the next evening’s show in Leeds. They also stated that in lieu of the Manchester show, WWE and NXT Superstars would instead be reaching out to those affected by the Manchester bombing, both through hospital visits and via community outreach.
Sky Sports was lucky enough to tag along with NXT Champion Bobby Roode and beloved U.K. wrestler Mark Andrews for one of those special visits. They stopped by the home of eight-year-old Lily Harrison, who was recently released from the hospital after being treated for “serious shrapnel wounds” suffered during the attack. Lily is a big wrestling fan, just like her dad, and her reaction to the surprise visit was far, far too perfect for words.
When they asked how she was feeling, she replied: “I felt sick a few minutes ago but now I don’t!”
Lily’s parents, Adam and Lauren, were also injured in the attack, but the family is doing its best to stay positive. As Adam explained to Sky:
“We don’t spend too much time worrying about times gone by. There’s nothing we can do about it now.
“Luckily our daughter is a shining example… Lily is brilliant. She’s my best mate at the end of the day.
“That’s what I said to the surgeon as she was taken to theatre: ‘Please make sure you take care of her…that’s my best pal’.”
There’s a wonderful video of Roode presenting Lily with her very own NXT Championship, so you should definitely head over to Sky Sports to check that out. It’s one million percent worth your time.
