Harley-Davidson Group Rides in Honor of Bombing Victim

On the one-year anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing, Harley-Davidson fan Saffie Roussos gets the ultimate tribute.

May 22 marked the first anniversary of a bombing that occurred in Manchester, England at the end of an Ariana Grande concert. To honor the 22 victims of that attack, hundreds of people showed up at the Manchester Cathedral for a special service, including Prince William and Prime Minister Theresa May. But a large group of Harley-Davidson riders held their own, special ride to honor the bombing’s youngest victim, eight-year-old Saffie Roussos.

Roussos was not only an avid fan of Grande, but she also loved Harley motorcycles. “Saffie was a huge Harley-Davidson fan,” Roussos told BBC News. “She used to love looking around the bikes, jumping on them. She used to climb up my bike when she was two years old and just sit there and pretend to ride.”

So, it made perfect sense to pay tribute to the younger Roussos with a special Harley ride. Andrew Roussos was joined by his wife Lisa, Saffie’s brother and sister Xander and Ashlee, along with dozens of other bikers.

Before the group set off, Roussos gave a touching tribute to his daughter. But he drew a few laughs when he said, “all Saffie wanted to be when she grew up was a biker with lots of tattoos.” Saffies biker jacket also came along for the ride, so she could be there in spirit.

‘Saffie was a huge Harley-Davidson fan… She used to climb up my bike when she was two years old and just sit there and pretend to ride.’

The progression of Harley-Davidson riders then headed to Saffie’s school, where they held a moment of silence in her memory.

“The school has been so supportive,” Roussos said. “Saffie’s friends are going through a bad time. Obviously, they’re very young and they don’t understand what’s happening. When we turned up and they were all outside in a line, and they were cheering. What a lovely little memory for for them and their friend Saffie. It was a touching moment.”

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.