Separated by hundreds of miles, Sam Clarke and Kerrie Buesnell were brought together by the spirit of Manchester, five years after one of the city's darkest days.
Their paths crossed by chance after hundreds of beautifully crafted hearts, created by people across the world, were placed around city centre landmarks. Visitors were encouraged to take one home, the hearts providing a colourful symbol of how we remember the 22 people tragically killed on May 22, 2017, as well as the hundreds more injured.
On Sunday morning at Exchange Square, that spirit of togetherness in the face of evil was personified by the meeting of Sam and Kerrie. Sam, a 30-year-old mum from Shaw, Oldham, spent three months creating more than 150 of these one-off hearts, for people to enjoy and cherish.
READ MORE : Manchester remembers the Arena attack with poignant memorials
Before she boarded the tram home, Sam bumped into Kerrie Buesnell, holidaying in Manchester from her home in Jersey. More than 400 miles separate their lives usually, but it was Manchester that brought them together for a unique, special moment.
“It feels like a part of Manchester is going home with them," Sam said after Kerrie chose one of her designs. "It’s really nice to meet who it going to take it as well.”
While at the core of Sunday’s events was a feeling of sorrow and remembrance for those lost, it was also a poignant reminder of how Manchester pulled together and our how spirit conquered hate. Just a short distance away, Victoria station was a focal point for memorial events.
As it has been ever since, the corner of the station known as Soldiers Gate became a memorial to the 22 innocents. Their names were read out, and the normally bustling station fell silent.
Just yards and a flight of stairs away, was the scene of the horrifying events of May 2017. A smaller group of people had met at Soldiers gate at 10.31am.
By noon, about 200 people, including relatives of those murdered at the Arena, attended a moving service led by Railway chaplain Mike Roberts. There was a palpable sense of emotion as people held hands, hugged each other, and shed a tear.
Others held onto their loved ones as the occasion proved too much to bear. "We gather together today seeking comfort, for those who continue to mourn someone lost that night, seeking comfort for those whose lives are still incomplete and broken," the chaplain said.
"We gather together as people seeking a sense of peace, in hearts that still struggle to process the injustice and the violence of that night." The newly opened Glade of Light has provided an area of peace and tranquillity which mourners flocked to after that moving service in Victoria.
The permanent memorial, recently declared open by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, features the names of the 22 within a marble 'halo'. There were huge queues as people waited for the opportunity to pay their own respects.
People young and old walked slowly around the circular memorial, taking in every name and reading the messages left by those grieving them. Some of the names of the 22 were barely visible, as so many floral tributes had been laid.
This beautifully designed area, close to the city's cathedral, provides a solemn, quiet place for reflection. Those responsible for that barbaric attack will ultimately prove to be just a footnote in our city’s history.
In contrast, with the help of the Glade of Light, the names of the 22 will be etched into Manchester’s soul for evermore, for every anniversary to come.
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