The sister of Manchester bombing victim Martyn Hett has achieved top grades in her GCSEs – despite taking an exam the day after she found out her brother had died.
Nikita Murray, the half-sister of the 29-year-old PR manager, found out on Thursday she had achieved 11 A*s in her exams.
She said her “proud” big brother, an avid social media user, would have been tweeting to congratulate her about her achievements if he was still alive.
The 16-year-old Stockport Grammar School student told the Press Association she had been revising for her physics exam as the family desperately waited to hear news the day after the bombing, which happened after an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.
so get this. thread.
1/ my little sister Nik is an actual hero. skip back to the literal day after we found out about Martyn being killed— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
2/ we were obviously completely numb, fried, drained. we'd been through something absolutely unreal and were all trying to figure it out
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
3/ I came downstairs, and Nik was sat on the stairs in full school uniform, tying her shoes. I couldn't understand why
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
4/ I didn't even know what day it was at that point, it had been such a horrific few days.
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
She said: “I was about halfway through my exams when it happened. I had three exams that week.
“After it happened, when we didn’t know where he was, I was just thinking that I should probably revise just in case we found him.
“The option of not taking the exam was in my brain. I thought if we did find out (he had died) I won’t end up doing it but, just in case we find out he’s fine and it’s a misunderstanding, I should probably revise.”
The evening after the bombing, which happened on May 22, the family found out Martyn had been killed in the attack and at 1pm the following day Nikita took her exam.
5/ She was putting her shoes on so she could go and sit a bunch of GCSE's. I was utterly amazed, floored.
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
6/ They told her she didn't need to, that they'd use her predicted grades given everything that happened. Nik said: nope! and took the lot
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
7/ Under the most horrific conditions, after going through (and continuing to go through) it all, she didn't skip a beat.
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
8/ It was hands-down the toughest shit I have ever seen. Sleeves rolled up, get it done. Nothing wasted despite it all
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
She said: “Loads of people were at my house so I sort of wanted to get out anyway.”
She said she and her brother used to go to concerts together and on family holidays, adding: “He would have been tweeting about my results today!
“He was quite proud but he always used to make jokes that I was really bad at maths.”
9/ She got her results today. Eleven A* grades. I have never been more proud or amazed by anyone.
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
10/ in conclusion: my kid sister is the toughest person I have ever met. don't mess with her. be inspired!
— Dan Hett (@danhett) August 24, 2017
She added: “I didn’t want to let what’s happened stop me. Martyn would want me to do it and do it well.”
Nikita, from Stockport, gained top grades in subjects including Classics, music, French, geography and further maths and plans to stay on for sixth form at her school and study maths, further maths, physics and Classics.
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