Being close to the scene of a terrorist attack is different than seeing it unfold on the screen.

For Sarah Beth Keeley, who attended Mount Boucherie Secondary in West Kelowna, the situation was all too real when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena, Monday night.

A little more than 200 yards away, Keeley and her Canadian boyfriend Gavin Sorochan were performing as part of a musical tour in the U.K., promoting their new single in an entertainment venue down the street, called Gullivers.

The bombing happened while Keeley was performing. They first thought a transformer had blown in the arena. Staff at the Gullivers venue locked the doors.

害羞草研究所淲e didn害羞草研究所檛 actually hear anything at that point,害羞草研究所� she said, adding there was music and performances underway. Shortly thereafter, the venue went on lockdown.

Keeley and her boyfriend didn害羞草研究所檛 find out it was a suicide bombing as no one could go anywhere to get details.

害羞草研究所淥nce we learned it was a bombing we had to stay in there,害羞草研究所� she said.

After an hour they were let outside into the streets which Keeley described as a 害羞草研究所済host town害羞草研究所� aside from emergency personnel.

害羞草研究所淭here were police everywhere and you could hear sirens continuously and a couple of helicopters were circling.害羞草研究所�

She walked to her hotel which was at the corner of the street by a barricade.

害羞草研究所淵ou feel strange, you feel confused,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淓verything had been shut down everywhere.害羞草研究所�

They arrived at their hotel after learning it was a bombing at the concert. Twenty-two people lost their lives.

害羞草研究所淭here was a young couple, there were young girls with their heads down in their phones probably texting their parents and there was a lady with her face in her hands crying because she couldn害羞草研究所檛 find her daughter and you害羞草研究所檙e in the middle of this freaking out,害羞草研究所� she said.

The situation was foreign to her, after only seeing terrorist attacks in the media from afar. The couple was worried there would be more attacks.

害羞草研究所淥ur biggest concern wasn害羞草研究所檛 really the bombing害羞草研究所� what we were concerned about was this would be like another Paris ordeal where the gunman might害羞草研究所檝e been mobile,害羞草研究所� said Sorochan, as they had yet to learn it was a suicide bombing.

They stayed in Manchester for two more nights and cancelled their last show out of respect for the victims of the attack.

The pair said they haven害羞草研究所檛 had a chance to properly reflect on the incident and how they may view it could change, once they are back in Canada.

害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e separated from an event you can sort of take a look at it from a third person,害羞草研究所� said Sorochan. 害羞草研究所淚 know how we saw 9/11 and there was an immediate 害羞草研究所極h my god.害羞草研究所� When you害羞草研究所檙e in something, you have to react. Now if we come back to Canada, we may sit and say 害羞草研究所業 don害羞草研究所檛 know if I want to venture out again,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e thought about my flight home out of London,害羞草研究所� added Keeley. 害羞草研究所淚 feel less relaxed going back to the airport than coming here.害羞草研究所�

Keeley害羞草研究所檚 father and stepmother Mike and Jo Bullock live in West Kelowna and they said they weren害羞草研究所檛 aware of the situation in Manchester until after they received a text from Keeley saying she was OK.

害羞草研究所淚mmediately I thought something has happened,害羞草研究所� said father Mike Bullock. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very grateful for her doing that.害羞草研究所�

Moving forward, Bullock said there is concern for his daughter害羞草研究所檚 safety.

害羞草研究所淲e haven害羞草研究所檛 really worried a lot about terrorism because of where she was traveling to in the past. Going forward it害羞草研究所檚 a bit of an issue for sure,害羞草研究所� he said.

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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