This is the touching moment a woman who survived the London Bridge terror attack is reunited with the hero who saved her life.
Eliana Caroccia, 40, was with friends in a restaurant when three knife-wielding jihadis stormed in.
And Roy Larner, who was drinking at the bar, took them on despite being unarmed – giving Eliana and dozens more time to flee.
Football fan Roy, 53, famously roared, “F**k you, I’m Millwall” as he threw punches and became known as the Lion of London Bridge.
Today, on the sixth anniversary of the atrocity, he and Eliana embraced for the first time and shared their story at an emotionally-charged meeting in Paris.
Italian Eliana said: “Roy is my hero, he saved my life.
“His actions gave us the time to escape. I would not be here today without his bravery. I will be forever grateful to him.”
Roy added: “It feels great to meet Eliana and to know I did something to help her. The more people like Eliana who get in touch makes me realise just how many lives I saved that night.
“It was something I had to do. I didn’t think about the consequences. I just knew I had to stop them.”
The three Islamic State fanatics hired a van to mow down Saturday-night crowds on London Bridge before crashing on June 3, 2017.
Wearing fake bomb vests and with 12-inch blades strapped to their wrists, they got out to kill and maim people in packed Borough Market.
Eliana and Roy were in the Black and Blue steak house when the attackers charged in. Armed only with his fists, Roy took slashes to his face, neck, chest and stomach – and a severe puncture wound to his side.
The former printer said: “The only thing going through my mind was fighting them off. I had no time to think. I was just pouring with blood and I can remember the mass panic of everyone behind me.”
Eliana hid under the bar area but remembers seeing Roy confronting the attacker. “I recall Roy approached them and started fighting,” she said.
“His bravery gave us the time to rush out and hide. If it wasn’t for him we would all be dead.
“That takes a very strong person. Most would have run away to protect themselves but Roy was completely selfless in that moment. There are very few good people on this planet but he is one of them.”
The terrorists killed eight people before police shot them dead. Roy, one of 48 injured, went to nearby St Thomas’ hospital in a critical condition.
He recovered but was forced to quit work after a PTSD diagnosis left him struggling to cope. Six years on, he is yet to receive criminal injury compensation and claims he was offered counselling for the first time just 18 months ago.
He said: “I was pretty much cast aside and had to fight to get any support. I was going over and over it in my head, trying to piece things together. It drives you insane.
“I still avoid busy places and will get off a bus if it gets too crowded.”
After the horror, a petition was started to award Roy the George Cross – Britain’s highest award for civilian courage.
And last month, it emerged he is to receive the Royal Humane Society’s Silver Medal this summer.
Roy said: “It feels great to finally receive some recognition.”
Financial worker Eliana, who now lives in Luxembourg, says the experience changed her outlook.
She said: “When I go to a restaurant, I always check to make sure there is an exit close by.
“Before the attack, I was quite critical about life and always striving for more but now I am just grateful to be alive.
"I’m much more down to earth and don’t get upset easily, and value friendship more. Something like this makes you appreciate the small things in life.”
Following the attack, she wrote to Roy to thank him for his bravery.
Roy, who last year published a book to tell his story, said: “I take things day by day but we’re still alive and that’s what matters.”
And Eliana added: “Yes, we are still alive – thanks to Roy, I am still here.
“I will be forever grateful to him.”=
You can nominate Roy for the George Cross by emailing honours@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
