Before the war, Oleksii (age 7) and Svitlana’s (age 5) family lived in Kharkiv. The children each had a happy childhood, enjoying activities such as playing sports, while their father was a lieutenant in the National Guard of Ukraine. During his military service he received numerous awards for his courage, including the title of People’s Hero of Ukraine, which was awarded to him following his involvement in anti-terrorist operations. Tragically, Oleksii and Svitlana’s father perished in March while on a combat mission. Following his death, the children and their mother were forced to flee Kharkiv, their fallen father and husband forever remaining a superhero to them.
