Sasha

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That morning, I caught Mom sitting by my bed and crying. Dad called with the news that the war had begun. Mom collected warm clothes and essentials, went to buy some groceries, and prepared for life in a bomb shelter. However, it was more or less quiet in our city, and we went only a few times down to the basement. We stayed in Novovolynsk city in the Volyn region. We didn’t even go anywhere – there was no point. Besides,

my dad was at the war, and we didn’t want to leave him.

Since 2015, Dad has served in the border landing forces – he was a paratrooper, a scout, and even a border guard. I am very proud of him. Even at school, the teacher once mentioned that my father was fighting in the war. Everyone was so impressed, and I felt great pride. Dad was so cool. He did everything to make us ready in case of an invasion. Gradually, the great war began to be talked about at school, and people began to set up bomb shelters. So, we understood that it was possible to happen.

We always sent Daddy a big parcel with food and clothes. Once I decided to put a letter in the parcel, in which I wrote that I love him, appreciate him, always wait for him, and want him to return home.

I wanted him to feel the support and to know that we are always by his side.

And he answered me via the video call instead. On September 6, we had a call together as a whole family for the last time, on the 8th, he did not get in touch with us, and on September  10, we found out that he had perished.

At first, we didn’t believe it, and even now, we can’t fully accept it. My brother withdrew into himself, then didn’t speak and couldn’t eat anything for three days. I was in pain, I cried. Now that I still grieve, sometimes it seems to me that Dad will come back. He was often away from home because of his service, that is why I have such a feeling. When he came from the front, he had a specific smell typical for military.

At home we made a special cabinet where we keep his helmet, medals, orders, etc.

When you open it, you immediately feel his smell – so familiar and dear.

Everyone wants the war to end, and I believe that Ukraine will win. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are strong, and we have a cool air defense, so we have nothing to be afraid of.

I plan on studying to become a restaurateur and then open my own restaurant somewhere in Lviv to develop Ukrainian cuisine. It will bring a lot of money, and it will be a good thing.