What Makes Us Stronger

By: Freya Lewis

Narrated by: Lucy Fallon, Freya Lewis

Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Manchester Arena attack nearly destroyed her.

Love and courage saved her.

Freya Lewis was just three metres away from the terrorist who detonated the bomb at the Manchester arena on the night of 22nd May 2017.

Her best friend Nell was tragically killed, but Freya - thrown forwards by the blast - somehow survived. She suffered 29 separate injuries, was in a coma for five days and wheelchair-bound for three months.

Yet just 12 months later, she was on her feet, running the Junior Great Manchester Run and raising £60,000 for the hospital that saved her. From her darkest moment, she found the determination to live life to the fullest, for herself and for those who lost their lives.

This is Freya's courageous story. But it is also the story of the amazing community that surrounded her, uplifted her and ultimately saved her life.

What Makes Us Stronger is a testament to the power of hope and positivity.

©2019 Freya Lewis (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group

simply inspiring

What a wonderful young girl Freya is. Her story truly brings home how our wonderful city really came together in the face of evil. Freya's story is inspiring, heart wrenching and eye opening. Wishing Freya a bright and wonderful future.

emotional

what a lovely tribute to your friend Nell - I have cried buckets but also laughed along with you whilst listening to your story

Simply an emotional but beautiful book

Made me very teary but best book I've listened to in years. Thank you

A touching true story

What a touching true story of a families bravery following the Manchester bombing.

Freya recounts her journey through loss and recovery through humour and poignant reflections.

The book had me laughing one moment sobbing the next, but most importantly reflecting on how

Would recommend to anyone who needs to be reminded that even in the darkest days there is more to live for

Thanks so much Freya

Thank you so much for finding the strength to share your story as a disabled person myself with my fair share of surgeries I don’t think I would’ve come though what you have with the same strength of courage.
You are also an exceptional writer I hope you write more books I for one can’t wait to listen.

A story of courage

A true story of geniune courage to not let evil win. Freya has written beautifully and deserves to be heard.

A Lesson in Gratitude and Courage

A beautiful narrative of gratitude and courage in the face of extreme adversity and loss. Freya Lewis took an unimaginably ugly situation and turned it into something beautiful.

Conflicting...

I pre-ordered this book in anticipation of what would feature in this story and how Freya would explain her experience but there are inconsistencies, mainly with the element that is most important - what happened on the night.

1) All official reports confirm that the bomb was TATP (also known as mother of satan) - it's an entropic explosion meaning it has no flash, no smoke, no heat. Freya describes in chapter 14 of a flash and of course details how she was badly burnt by this bomb. Kim and Phil Dick in their countless TV interviews describe the same, so which bomb was it, the witnesses version or the authorities version?

To create a bomb as described by Freya and others requires far more than average household items, which is why authorities conclude the bomb to be TATP - as it can be home made. Simply put, the bomber could not have made such a pyrotechnic device.

2) Freya claims that after the final song, balloons came down from the ceiling, this is not correct - during the 18th song (Sometimes) that's when that actually happened. There were 22 songs in total.

3) In Freya's version of events, despite having 29 injuries mentioned in chapter 3 which included two broken legs and a fractured ankle, she managed to stand back up, walk and fall into the arms of Kim Dick. Freya says Kim took her to the walkway which is a bridge over the train station. Kim however has claimed she took Freya into the concourse.
Freya claims they were taken down into the train station with help from a paramedic and was waiting on the floor for 2 hours yet Kim says they stayed in the concourse for an hour before anyone helped them at all.

4) There is a photo which can be found of Freya on a table (as her book describes) with Kim there too. What is more interesting is that Ruth Murrell is also in this photo. In a video taken by John Barr of the foyer immediately after the blast (which the public have never been shown), Ruth is seen walking around without any issue yet is seen in hospital telling the Queen how a bolt pierced right through her thigh. The video on it's own paints a completely different picture of what the foyer looked like in comparison to how survivors / witnesses describe it - you must see that video.

5) Freya claims she saw the bomber stood in the middle of the room prior to the blast. This is conflicting with police evidence from BTP sergeant 2202 who radioed in to say that a young male of the exact same description ran into the foyer, dropped a bag next to a wall (not in the middle of the room) and then ran away.
What many people do not know is that soon after the bang, an Asian male was arrested by armed police after being seen leaving the arena and trying to drive away.

6) PC Dale Allcock 2032 in an ITV documentary said that members of the public told him that someone dropped off a bag and ran away. This reinforces point 5.

7) Freya states that hospital staff didn't have the experience to deal with bomb blast victims so required military staff assistance. This is strange since on the 29th of March 2017, Exercise Socrates took place and the drill was dealing with bomb blast victims coincidentally to both adults and children. On the 25th of May 2017, staff on the children's ward stated this during the Queen's visit.

There are countless inconsistencies with the Manchester attack generally speaking, so my advice to anyone who is genuinely interested in what happened that night, should read a book called 'Manchester The Night of The Bang' by Richard D. Hall.

It covers the entire event including those in the foyer at the time and is a must read for those who really want answers to this attack.