Our daughter was the youngest Manchester Arena bombing victim - a book celebrating her life has set us free

Saffie, who was eight, died after Salman Abedi detonated a bomb while thousands of people were leaving an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017.

Now a book titled SAFFIE The youngest victim of the Manchester terror attack and her family’s fight for justice, has been released; written by journalist David Collins with Saffie’s parents Andrew and Lisa Roussos. The book, which has been a year in the making, tells their story - of unimaginable suffering and heartbreak, as well as inspiration, courage and optimism, as they search for happiness and meaning in their lives.

“It’s been a hell of a thing for us”, said Andrew. “It’s closing a chapter on the youngest victim of the Manchester Arena bombing.”

Lisa, who was also injured in the attack and given only a 15 per cent chance of survival, said: “Andrew knew David and he suggested doing a book about a year ago. It gave us an opportunity to put Saffie across - what her character was really like and all the things that were special about her, and not to be defined by what happened that night.”

She added: “And what happened at the end of writing the book was amazing, it was like a release. All the pain, frustration, lies we’ve had to listen to...once that book closed, it was like putting a lid on it. It was amazingly cathartic, like the heavens lifted. We didn’t expect it, and it’s only been in the last few days, but everyone in the family has felt it. We’ve all felt this overwhelming sadness, but now we feel much more positive and lighter.”

The feeling has been shared by friends of Andew, Lisa and Saffie, who have run the Saffie Rose Roussos - Memorial group on Facebook since 2017, with almost 10,000 followers. They announced earlier this week that “This chapter has now ended”, and the page would no longer give updates, but instead would use its platform to “support families, promote good causes, and shine a light on all the things that make this community great.”

Andrew said: “These kids were eight, nine years of age and have lived through a horror story. But this is it now, Saffie wouldn’t want us to carry on, keep going over that night.”

The couple say the book “goes into everything”, starting with Saffie saying goodbye on the evening of the attack, and it flitting back and forth through the Roussos family life, with funny and humourous anecdotes. Lisa said: “It was weird because we were having a laugh putting some parts of the book together, and then you’d be crying. It was very up and down, and in some way it felt like you were talking about someone else’s life, we were detached from it.

“But then when it got to the proof-reading, it all became real again and there’s bits of it I just couldn’t read.” Andrew added: “I had the first printed copy and I took it with me to Cyprus because I wanted to read it on the beach, on my own. I ended up opening it on the plane, and I stopped and thought ‘No, I don’t have to do this, I’ve lived all of this’.

Lisa and Andrew, who now live in Dorset, say they have struggled with being thrust into public life and sharing private details of Saffie’s life, but say they want to use their experiences for good, and “dread the day when people move on and forget”.

Lisa said: “I’m a very private person and I’ve been propelled into the spotlight unnaturally. Doing the book I’ve been very open and I’ve talked about times when I’ve wanted to end my own life. It’s not easy to share those details, but I want other people to know, to normalise it, for other people to know that it’s ok to have these feelings and that you can move on.”

The book, which is published by Silvertail Books, is available in paperback for £12.99 or ebook for £2.99, has received tremendous feedback since it was launched, including from a member of ITV’s Loose Women team, who told Lisa it was “a love letter to Saffie’. Lisa said: “That’s all we wanted to hear, it meant so much. This is all about Saffie and making something good come from something so bad.”

The family have thanked David Collins for his work putting the book together and condensing lengthy inquiry paperwork into readable copy, and they want to thank the people of Leyland for their ongoing support. Lisa said: “The kindness that we have been shown by members of the public has been overwhelming.”

Saffie’s Smile Award

Last year they also launched the Saffie’s Smile Award with The Sun newspaper, to celebrate other incredible young people aged 16 or under who go above and beyond to help others. Nominations are currently being taken for this year’s award.

To nominate someone for a Saffie’s Smile Award, go to thesun.co.uk/saffie.

One winner gets a family holiday worth up to £5,000 courtesy of On The Beach. Three runners-up get Merlin theme park experiences. Entries close May 26.