A popular teaching assistant badly injured during the Manchester terror attack has returned to work – much to the delight of pupils at the school where she works.
Sharon Crawford was caught up in the bombing as she waited in the foyer for her 14-year-old daughter to return from the Ariana Grande concert on May 22.
She spent two weeks receiving treatment after a bolt from the bomb went through the top of her leg, breaking her Femur and also left her with severe foot injuries.
Staff at Barnton Primary School in Cheshire produced a touching video for her in the aftermath of the attack – with pupils singing Count on Me by Bruno Mars.
Fifty-four pupils joined hands in a line to send a message of support to their teaching assistant.
Speaking about the day of the attack, Sharon said: “It was horrific – I think that’s the only word I could use.
“Looking back you don’t realise how bad it was until you think about it – it was absolutely terrifying.
“Life means more now – everybody takes it for granted.”
As part of her physical recovery doctors put a metal pin in her damaged leg from her knee to her hip.
She remains on crutches after fracturing her Femur – the longest bone in the body which is located in the top of the leg – while her treatment continues at Leighton Hospital.
However, Sharon is now looking ahead after returning to work.
She said: “The hospital staff have been amazing – the whole NHS has.”
“I have good days and bad days but I’m just looking at the positives.
“I still have lots of hospital appointments and quite a long road ahead to recovery but the fact that I’m still here is great – there were people who weren’t so lucky.”
“I just want to thank the whole community for all the support – colleagues, friends and family.
“Barnton helped to pull me through.
“I have been here for nine years – I know all of the children and I think video they made really helped me when I was in hospital.
“The support I had from everybody was incredible.
“The staff here at Barnton brought meals round for me every single day when I was recovering at home.
“I’m really excited for Christmas now – I always enjoy the build-up with the children here but this year it means so much more.”
