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'She passed away in my arms': Homeless men who helped Manchester victims receive support

Mary Bowerman
USA TODAY
A carpet of flowers and messages lie at St Ann's Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 24, 2017, placed in tribute to the victims of the May 22 terror attack at the Manchester Arena.

Two homeless men who rushed to the aid of Manchester terror attack victims have received offers of housing, job assistance and money following their selfless acts. 

Stephen Jones, 35, and Chris Parker, 33, aided victims Monday evening after Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a suicide bomb outside of an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people and injuring dozens. 

Crowdfunding accounts set up for Parker and Jones raised thousands of dollars each. And others have offered housing, aid and help to find work. 

Parker was at the venue in hopes of panhandling money, but instead ended the night as a hero, the Press Association reported.

Parker said he saw the explosion and instead of running away, followed his "gut instinct" and headed towards the chaos. 

"I saw a little girl, I wrapped her in one of the merchandise T-shirts, and I said 'where is your mom and daddy?' She said 'my dad is at work, my mom is up there,'" he said. 

Parker said he later held a woman who was horrifically injured by the blast. 

"She passed away in my arms. She was in her 60s and said she had been with her family," he told the Press Association. "I haven't stopped crying."

Jones, 35, was sleeping near the concert venue, when he heard the explosion,ITV News reported. 

He told the news outlet he wiped the blood out of children's eyes and tried to help them with their wounds. 

"We were having to pull nails and bits of glass out of their arms and faces," he told ITV.

Jones, who was formerly a bricklayer and has been homeless for about a year, told ITV he didn't think twice about helping the victims.

"I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I'd just walked away," he said.  "Just because I'm homeless, it doesn't mean I haven't got a heart." 

After hearing Jones' story, West Ham United Football Club co-chairman David Sullivan and his son, Dave Jr. offered to pay six months rent for the homeless man and help him with clothing, CBS reported. 

More coverage: 

Manchester bombing: British stop sharing case details with U.S., reports say

Manchester bombing: 'Imagine having to tell a child that someone has just blown themselves up'