The Manchester bombing was a despicable act that targeted the most innocent in our society.
It’s one of those attacks that sort of changes things and makes you wonder when the next concert will be hit. It’s also a tragedy that’s likely to be linked to Ariana Grande’s name for a long time.
And Ariana, personally, was devastated.
Fortunately, we know that she’s hanging in there. We even know how — through the support and presence of boyfriend Mac Miller.
According to an insider, Ariana has been having nightmares — a pretty standard PTSD symptom — but Mac has been there for her every step of the way.
“Mac has not left her side, holding her at night, helping her fight back the tears. While the bombing has been terrible in every way, it has brought Ariana and Mac closer together than ever as a couple,” the insider says.
“She doesn’t know how she would be getting through this ordeal without her loving boyfriend.”
That’s not surprising. Holding her at night is pretty par for the course as her boyfriend. But he’s also canceled some of his own gigs — remember, he has a music career, too, and they collaborated a couple of years ago — to stay by her side. That sounds like exactly what she needs, and he sounds like a very devoted boyfriend.
We could be cynical and say that this is the advantage of dating a guy when you’re totally out of his league, but let’s not. This is just a super loving relationship.
Unfortunately, political opportunists have given Ariana more need for emotional support than just the horrific attack.
Her critics have stated that her sexy persona made her a “perfect target,” effectively blaming her — one of the victims — for what happened.
Conservative commentators have lamented that she hasn’t made xenophobic or Islamophobic statements about “border security” or other usual racist euphemisms.
In their minds, not agreeing with their politics means that she doesn’t care. It’s kind of the literal opposite.
Let’s remember that Ariana is a victim in this, too.
We don’t mean that her brand is a victim, or that lost revenue makes her a victim.
She was there when the bomb went off, just like everyone else. You don’t have to be hit by the blast to come away shaken.
Trauma is a very real thing and it’s very likely that she’s feeling a misplaced sense of guilt. It was her concert, after all.
Obviously, acts of terror are the fault of the perpetrators, not of the victims. And she’s going above and beyond for the victims.
That’s why it’s so good that she has support mechanisms. Not just Mac Miller, of course.
Just look at her incredible mother, Joan Grande. This is a strong, wonderful woman — you just have to follow her on Twitter to know that.
This is also the same woman who reportedly ushered a group of nearby audience members backstage when the blast hit. She’s the sort of person who’s always going to help as many people as she can.
And let’s not forget Ariana’s fans. Sometimes referred to as Arianators, because why not, they’re a passionate collective covering a pretty large age range.
They love Ariana and they know that it was fellow fans who were the direct victims of the Manchester attack. Her fans are supporting her online, and they probably always will.
It sounds cheesy, but it’s kind of beautiful to see love and hope in the face of adversity, you know?
