My grandfather ( my Dido) was born in a small, rural town outside of Lviv, Ukraine, in 1927. He spent his early years working on his family farm with his five siblings, without a care in the world. His childhood ended when the Soviets, under the leadership of Josef Stalin, decided to kill millions of Ukrainians by famine. My Dido and his family were lucky to survive. Less than a decade later, World War Two erupted, placing Dido and my family in grave danger once again. First, the Germans came through and took over their farm, and a few years later, the Soviet troops began to push the Germans back. My family was so afraid of coming back under Soviet control that they decided to escape to the West. After spending years in a displacement camp, my Dido and his family made his way to the United States and settled eventually in Yonkers, New York. He eventually married, found stable work, and raised a family. Throughout his life, he carried on his Ukrainian heritage. Even today, while living in a nursing home, he continues to dance with his caregivers and sing Ukrainian songs to his friends. Despite the hardships he endured, my Dido is the hardest-working and strongest man I have ever known. He is a perfect example of Ukraine: fearless, heroic, passionate and patriotic.


Currently, the crisis unfolding in Ukraine has brought back the horrors my Dido endured. Over 2.6 million people  have already been displaced and living in fear, not knowing if any day is going to be their last. Several thousand have already died and hundreds more are dying every day due to Russian brutality. While enduring this, the people of Ukraine remain resilient and continue to fight for their country and freedom. The entire country is in need of humanitarian aid to support access to food, medicine shelter, hygiene and emotional support.

Children and families shouldn't live in fear. Please consider supporting their cause by contributing to ongoing humanitarian efforts.