Father of 3 young Ariana Grande fans posts open letter after Manchester bombing

A father of three Ariana Grande fans is telling the 23-year-old singer to keep making music following the Manchester bombing that happened after her concert last week.

Patrick Millsaps, an American film producer with a 13-year-old and two 12-year-old daughters, posted an open letter on Twitter that has been re-tweeted thousands of times and has received likes from pop stars Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Grande herself.

"You don't have a dadgum thing to apologize for," Millsaps wrote after Grande expressed her own sorrow immediately after the attack, saying on social media May 22 she was "so so sorry."

"You are no more responsible for the actions of an insane coward who committed an evil act in your proximity than you would be for a devastating natural distaster," he wrote.

Twenty-two people were killed at the concert venue in Manchester last week and dozens injured in the suicide bombing. Many of the victims were young fans. Police say they have arrested 14 people in connection with the attack, though two have been released without charge.

• Police arrest 14th person after Manchester bombing

In the letter, posted May 24, Millsaps, who says he used to manage talent himself and also once worked on a political campaign, urged Grande to ignore "experts who are now 'strategizing' what you should do next," and instead spend time with family and friends "who will give you space and support when you need it."

"When and only when you are ready, on behalf of all dads who love your... um...  whose daughters love your music SING AGAIN," he wrote. "Music is the international language of peace."

He ended the note by saying it was "unsolicited advice from a fat dude in Georgia who loves his daughters and appreciates that there are people like you [Grande] in the world."

The message has been retweeted more than 28,000 times and received a lot of support online from people describing themselves as parents with a similar perspective or as fans of the musician.

Grande posted a detailed statement on social media a few days later, saying she would be holding a benefit concert in Manchester to raise money for victims.

"Our response to this violence must be to come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder and to live more kindly and generously than we did before," Grande wrote on May 26. She cancelled her concert dates through June 5 on her worldwide tour after the tragedy.