A still-heartbroken Ariana Grande has broken her silence on the suicide bomb violence that ripped through her concert in Manchester, England, on Monday, telling the victims “I extend my hand and heart” and promising to return to the city to throw a benefit concert.
The lengthy, poignant Twitter message was posted at 2 p.m. Friday.
“My heart, prayers and deepest condolences are with the victims of the Manchester Attack and their loved ones,” it begins.
“There is nothing I or anyone can do to take away the pain you are feeling or to make this better,” it continues.
“However, I extend my hand and heart and everything I possibly can give to you and yours, should you want or need my help in any way.”
The bombing left 22 dead and more than 100 injured.
“The only thing we can do now is choose how we let this affect us and how we live our lives from here on out,” Grande’s statement continues.
“I have been thinking of my fans, and of you all, non stop over the past week,” writes the star, whose last posting on the night of the tragedy had said merely: “broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so sorry. i don’t have words.”
Her statement goes on to say she is inspired by the outpouring of compassion from her fans, calling it “the exact opposite of the heinous intentions it must take to pull off something as evil as what happened Monday.”
“YOU are the opposite,” she writes.
The star praises “the incredibly brave city of Manchester” and promises to have a benefit concert to help and honor the victims and their families.
“Music is something that everyone on Earth can share,” she concludes.
“Music is meant to heal us, to bring us together, to make us happy.
“So that is what it will continue to do for us,” she says, promising that the victims and her fans “will be on my mind and in my heart everyday and I will think of them with everything I do for the rest of my life.”
Grande also tweeted out a link for donating to the British Red Cross and its efforts to support the victims of the concert bombing.