MANCHESTER Arena bombing survivor Paul Price broke down in tears today as he recalled his partner dying at Ariana Grande’s 2017 concert.
Five years on and 20 surgeries later, after the blast ripped through one of his legs, Paul said Elaine McIver’s death had left him broken.
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Elaine, a police officer, was among the 22 killed by suicide bomber Salman Abedi.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain ahead of tonight’s ITV documentary, Paul said: “I had 20 procedures, I was in hospital for eight months, I’ve got surgery later this month, and again later this summer.
“It’s been ongoig, rehab, surgery, recover, rehav, surgery, recovery, and it’s still ongoing.
“My injuries aside it doesn’t compare to the loss of Elaine.”
Presenter Adil Ray asked Paul to describe mum-of-two Elaine.
The former car factory worker struggled to hold back tears as he replied: “She was everything to me. She was the love of my life.
“And I was the love of her life. She was one of those people you meet and you instantly feel like you’ve known her forever.
“She had this ability when you met her, you would open up to her. She was a great organiser.
“To me she was everything, she was my world, and now living without her is so difficult … I know she would want me to live my best life.”
In a new ITV documentary Worlds Collide: The Manchester Bombing Paul, who gave evidence at the Arena public inquiry, reveals he was waiting for daughter Gabrielle, then aged 13, at the concert venue together with Elaine when the bomb went off.
He said of that night and his daughter on GMB today: “I just felt helpless.
“It’s been a journey, she’s been so brave, as has my son, extremely brave.
“You know you can’t look inside their heads but from what I can see she is living a good life now, she has lots of friends.”
