Ariana Grande Fan, 18, Is First Victim Confirmed Dead After Manchester Bombing, Had Met Singer 2 Years Prior
Georgina Callander was one of many excited fans at Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester, England, on Monday night, which turned into terror when following the performance, a bomb went off, killing 22 people.
Callander, an 18-year-old college student, was one of the first victims confirmed dead.
A huge fan of Grande and her music, Callender had tweeted at the pop star on Sunday night, prior to her concert. "So excited to see u tomorrow," she shared.
In June 2015, Callander got the opportunity to meet Grande at Manchester Arena, and shared a photo of herself and a friend posing with the 23-year-old singer.
In March 2016, Grande liked one of Callander's tweets, and the fan could not contain her excitement.
A few days prior to attending the concert, Callander also shared on Instagram that she had met some of the cast of Once Upon a Time, and posed with actresses Rebecca Mader, Emilie de Ravin and Karen David.
Upon hearing of Callander's death, David re-posted the autographed photo of the two of them together, along with a heartbreaking message. "I'm deeply saddened to hear that this sweet, and beautiful lady, Georgina, who I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to for awhile, only a couple of weeks ago at #SBUK3 was one of the innocent victims in tonight's atrocity in Manchester," she wrote. "It's not fair, it's not right. It makes me so angry and it breaks my heart that such a young and promising life has been stolen away! But I refuse to give in to hatred. I continue to choose love. I continue to choose unity because when we join together, we are strong! We will not be afraid. Dearest Georgina, may your kind soul rest in peace. Heaven has gained an angel...My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, and your friends."
Callander attended Runshaw College and school spokesperson Tim Cahill released a statement to ET on Tuesday, following news of her death. "It is with enormous sadness that it appears that one of the people who lost their lives in Monday’s Manchester attack was one of our students here at Runshaw College," the statement reads. "Georgina Callander was a former Bishop Rawstorne pupil studying with us on the second year of her Health and Social Care course. Our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Georgina’s family, friends, and all of those affected by this loss."
Grande was clearly shaken up by the fatal attack and posted a short message to Twitter on Tuesday morning. "Broken," she wrote. “From the bottom of my heart, I am so, so sorry. I don't have words.”
“She’s an absolute wreck,” a source close to Grande told ET. “She cares more about her fans than anything.”