Stepan is a young boy from a small village in the eastern Donetsk region. In his free time, he enjoyed taking care of the animals at his family’s home, playing football and riding his bike. That was until February 24th, 2022 – when the horrors of the war came to his doorstep. For the first two months of the war, Stepan and his family hid in the basement of their home without electricity, gas or even water while the conflict took place around them and threatened their community’s safety. During so-called “lulls” during the war, they managed to find a few hours each day to get out and breathe, hoping that the temporary peace would last. Tragically, this wouldn’t be the case. Stepan’s parents were killed when an enemy shell hit their car. The day prior, they had taken him to safety, away from their village, and were returning home to care for their sick mother and their animals. They lost their lives senselessly after taking their son to safety. Tragically, Stepan’s grandmother also passed away just one month after his mother and father. He now lives with his older brother and sister-in-law and dreams of a quick end to the war. He wishes to return to his native village and one day rebuild his parents’ house so that the remaining members of his family can stay close to one another and live together in happiness.
