Introduction

My name is Dorothy Battiato and I’m writing on behalf of my 3 little cousins. I’m hoping that by sharing their tragic story you will find it in your hearts to help these devastated children lead some sort of normal life.

On December 26th, 2021, my favorite uncle, Arek, passed away from Covid at age 72. I was heartbroken. Two days later, December 28th, his daughter Monika also passed away from Covid. Monika was only 45 years old, and she left behind 3 young children: Paulina, Lukasz, and Martyna Skindzier. We are all so devastated by this tremendous loss. For the majority of their young lives, Monika raised her children as a single parent, with help from their grandfather (my uncle Arek) as their sole father figure.

Their biological father struggles with alcohol addiction and has never been a constant fixture in their lives. Currently they are living with him, but this is a temporary arrangement as it is not a stable environment for children. He is unable to support them either emotionally or financially. In their current financial situation these children won’t be able to survive and stay in the only home they have ever known.

Family History: Addiction, death, and a new purpose

Unfortunately, alcohol addiction is nothing new to my uncle’s family. Both my aunt and he were alcoholics. They had 2 kids, my cousins Monika and Lukasz (Monika later named her own son Lukasz in memory of her brother). My aunt and uncle refused to get help and eventually cut ties with the rest of the family. I remember as a little girl I didn’t understand why I couldn’t see them anymore. Their lives got out of control and their kids suffered the most. My cousin Monika followed in her parents’ footsteps and my cousin Lukasz started to hang out with the wrong crowd as a teenager.

Then tragedy struck and my cousin Lukasz died at age 16. When this occurred 24 years ago, it was the last time my uncle and aunt drank alcohol. They never fully recovered from their loss and blamed themselves for their son’s death for the rest of their lives. My aunt died a few years later from Breast Cancer. My cousin Monika overcame her addiction and started a family. My uncle Arek was there for her from the beginning. We always felt that he had so many regrets for not being there for his own kids and he wanted to redeem himself. He wanted to make sure that his grandchildren were taken care of and given the best opportunities. He was a very hands-on grandpa and the kids adored him.

Children’s lives before their mom’s death

Paulina is 15 years old and she’s a freshman in Technical School. She’s very talented at drawing. Martyna is 9 years old and she’s in 3rd grade. She loves to draw and dance. Both girls are artistically inclined. Lukasz is 13 years old and he’s in 7th grade. He’s a very talented soccer player and his dream is to be admitted to a Sports High School and eventually play soccer professionally. Currently he’s playing in Sparta Soccer Club. His coach just communicated to my family that he’s a very fast and intelligent player with great technique and coordination skills. As a result, he’s playing on a team with kids who are two to three years older than he is. Apparently, he understands and executes the game strategy like no other player and has been scoring the majority of the goals for his team. He’s also doing well in school, as this is a requirement for being a member in that soccer club.

My uncle wanted all 3 of them to take private English classes. He paid for them and drove them every week. He was at every soccer game his grandson played; he was his biggest fan. Every activity these kids participate in was financially supported by him. Now he’s gone, their mom is gone, and we’re trying to give them as normal of a life as possible. It took a tragedy to turn my uncle’s life around but we can’t allow another tragedy to kill the dreams he had for his beautiful grandchildren and my cousins. They deserve better.

Please help us give these children a normal life

We’re trying to keep them together and with other family members. My cousin Asia has stepped in and she’s helping a lot with everyday tasks even though she has two children of her own and a full-time job. An uncle and aunt on their father’s side are exploring the possibility of legal adoption. The goal is to keep them together and out of the social system.

These poor kids need financial support. I never thought I would be writing to my friends asking for help but here I am. If you could find it in your heart to help, we would be forever grateful. Our family is vowing to give them a better life than their grandparents and parents had. A life free from addiction and full of possibilities. We thank everyone who is willing to help from the bottom of our hearts!