Point Park Student Studying In Manchester: 'It's Quiet, It's Mournful'

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As news spread of a terror attack in the United Kingdom, it really hit home for Point Park University.

About a dozen of their journalism students are there studying abroad in Manchester. In fact, they were only about two miles from the blast site.

"Manchester is quite like Pittsburgh. It's a resilient city. It's a beautiful city. People rally around each other, and I've grown really attached in the past eight or nine days," said Alex Popichak, a Point Park University student. "When you find a city that's so much like your own, and for something as tragic as this to be happening to it, it's really quite sad."

Sheehan: "And what would you say is the mood of the city right now?"

Popichak: "It's quiet. It's mournful. I'm right now standing in Albert Square, the sight of a vigil that's set to go off in about a half an hour. There are people with signs that say 'I heart MCR,' there are people who say Manchester stands united behind its people."

Sheehan: "Could you describe the scene in Albert Square?"

Popichak: "There's easily over 1,000 people gathered in front of this huge town square, which is in front of this neo-gothic building. It's bright and sunny. Not a cloud in sight, and like I said, people holding up signs just kind of mourning and getting ready to rally together."

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

Sheehan: "In England, there's a pride about having a stiff upper lip. A resolve to move forward that goes back to World War II. Do you feel any of that?"

Popichak: "Yes, absolutely. Manchester is a city that when the cotton industry failed they bounced back. It's very much a city of resolve and very much a city of transformation."

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.