Help Alex Stay Home

Hi, my name is Nathania. I want to share with you the heartbreaking story of my sister, Yuri, and her son, Alex. Yuri is a single mother who has been fighting tirelessly for custody of her son. This has been an incredibly emotional and stressful struggle for both of them. Yuri and Alex moved to Cyprus in 2019, hoping for a better life promised by Alex's father. However, their situation turned out to be far from what they had hoped for, and Yuri had to make the hard decision to leave Alex's father and start the efforts to return to the United States with her son. Alex’s father was denying Yuri the permission needed to go back to the US with their son Alex. In July 2022, Yuri returned to NJ alone in preparation for their move back. Shortly after, the father accused Yuri of abandoning their son and sued her for emergency custody over Alex. Yuri returned immediately to hire a lawyer to help get her son back. It wasn’t until 89 days later that the father decided to return Alex to his mother. For those 89 days, she had limited visits, and chaos every moment she tried to spend with Alex. Custody suits and counter suits were filed, as well as contempt of court suits against the father. In Nov 2022, Yuri requested permission to visit her family for the holidays. The father gave it to her on the condition that she changes the visitation arrangement. They arrived in the US on Dec 27, 2022. Concerned for Yuri and Alex’s wellbeing and safety, she believed returning to Cyprus was a bad idea, considering the lack of protection she previously had over there as a single mother. On February 27th 2023, the US Marshals took Yuri and Alex’s passports away. Alex’s father had filed a case against Yuri for abduction. The judge told her she had to find a lawyer for the next hearing, which is on March 24th. These past legal battles have drained Yuri's finances, leaving her unable to continue fighting for her son's custody. As a result, she is at risk of losing Alex to his father, who is not his primary source of emotional support and care. If God forbid, the law goes against Yuri, it will be extremely traumatic for Alex and his mother to separate as Yuri cannot return to Cyprus for legal and safety reasons. Alex is an American citizen, and the majority of his family is in the United States, making it essential for him to stay with his mother. By no means has it ever been Yuri’s intention to keep Alex away from his father or family. Her hopes are to come to a mutual agreement. We are reaching out to you, to help Yuri fight for her son's safety and well-being. This case is considered wrongful retention under International Hague Convention and the representation for these types of cases are costly. Your support, no matter how small, can make a significant difference and ensure that Alex can stay with his loving mother, who is his emotional anchor during this difficult time. We urge you to share this campaign with your friends and family to help spread awareness and support Yuri and her son. Every little bit counts, and we are immensely grateful for your kindness and generosity. Your contributions will help Yuri and Alex navigate through this trying time, and we thank you for considering supporting our cause. ** DUE TO AN ONGOING LEGAL CASE, I AM LIMITED ON DISCLOSING THE FULL DETAILS OF THE MATTER AT THIS TIME. I WILL ENSURE TO PROVIDE UPDATES AS THE CASE PROGRESSES. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.**