Manchester Arena Inquiry: Michelle Kiss had 'aura of love'

Michelle Kiss "loved life" and wanted to make "every day count", according to her husband Tony in his tribute at the Manchester Arena Inquiry.

The relatives of the 22 people killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing are providing a personal insight into the lives of their loved ones and how their lives were changed forever.

The couple met as teenagers and married "on the beaches of Barbados" to create "their very own love story", Tony said.

His tribute - along with others from family and friends - to his "childhood sweetheart and soul mate" was read out by family friend Mark Dixon.

Michelle, 45, from Whalley, Lancashire, had been waiting in the foyer of the arena to pick up her daughter, who escaped uninjured, from the concert.

The couple and their three children had been to "many" concerts at Manchester Arena and Take That fan Michelle saw the band six times.

"How sad to think that a place that had brought so much joy to my family would be the place forever to take away that joy," added Tony, who thanked the emergency services, who showed "great sensitivity and professionalism in the midst of such chaos".

"On that fateful night, Michelle was waiting for our daughter, she was just being a mum.

"I like to believe in their last moments together she brought some comfort to her mum.

"I also like to think of her at their moment of parting as her mum's little guardian angel.

"This episode has left our family with an emptiness. It's impossible to imagine the unwanted reality that takes over your life after the sudden, tragic and shocking loss of someone you love so much."

'Respectful act of love'

"I take great comfort in knowing that my beautiful Michelle's broken body was taken from the arena so respectfully, and I know she travelled at funeral pace to the morgue.

"This was a beautiful and respectful act of love for her and I appreciate that so much.

"These acts of love and respect were magnified in the following days by the coming together of the people of Manchester.

"They demonstrated in the most incredible way that choosing love can be the more powerful force."

Tony described how he stood Michelle up when she was just 15 after slipping in mud in his "Farah pants".

"This was before mobile phones and I had no way of getting in touch with my beautiful Michelle," he said.

"I thought I had blown it but fate was having none of that and the date was rearranged.

"I remember it as if it was yesterday, Michelle's beautiful smile always made her face light up.

"I remember how happy I felt and that was the start of a beautiful friendship growing into our very own love story.

"She loved life and wanted to make every day count. She had an aura of love and positivity that glowed with each of her smiles."

The "pen portraits" for all 22 victims are expected to conclude on 23 September

Parents Mick and Christine told how Michelle, who was born in Chorley and lived in Leyland, was a "shy child" but had a special bond with her younger sister Nichola.

"Michelle was our loving, caring and thoughtful daughter, the hub of our family," they said. "She was not only our daughter but also our best friend."

They told how Michelle loved her children "beyond measure" and drove "thousands of miles" to support their education and activities.

Sister Nichola described Michelle as "her best friend" who "always had a smile on her face".

The tributes ended with a slideshow of photographs of Michelle accompanied by Rule the World by Take That and The Dance by Garth Brooks.