Transforming A Tragedy Into A Beacon Of Hope
Making an impact in this world takes something special. Making an impact after your time on Earth is over takes something extraordinary – and that’s exactly what 29-year-old Martyn Hett was. Not because he broke world records, built a business empire or ran the country, but because he was a normal person who was ex-traordinarily great at inspiring happiness and positivity in those around him.
When news broke that he was one of the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombings, a sense of injustice, tragedy and loss filled the hearts of those who had known Martyn. They recalled his carefree attitude to life, his joyous personality, his outspoken pride in his identity as a Brit with Turkish parents, and his unique love for the TV show Coronation Street, which landed him various TV appearances and inspired a massive social media following.
In an uplifting show of humanity, Martyn’s cohort came together and decidedly channelled their negative emotions into positive actions by focusing on celebrating Martyn’s life rather than mourning his death. Suddenly, the untimely death of the young man with his exuberant outlook on life was no longer just another headline in the news – it was a trending hashtag on Twitter, #BeMoreMartyn. Sending social media wild with inspiration, these three words of encouragement became an iconic national reminder of the importance of living life to its fullest and of appreciating yourself as well as the people and things around you that you love.
While some hashtags explode onto the scene with a lifespan of just 24 hours, #BeMoreMartyn was no fleet-ing trend. One year after Martyn’s death, the Hope Theatre Company have created a play in his legacy, writ-ten based on real-life interviews with Martyn’s nearest and dearest. The play’s producer, Adam Zane, ex-plained, “This year has been all about Martyn and he’s touching lives continually.”
Never afraid to stay true to himself and live life boldly and proudly, Martyn captured the hearts of many during his lifetime. Ironically, it is now, through his loving memory and powerful legacy alone, that he is making the biggest impact of his life, giving people hope and happiness in their own lives, the perfect antithesis to the tragedy that stole him.
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