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20.01.2025
A Son’s Wait: 12-Year-Old Danylo from Kharkiv Hopes for His Father’s Return from War
The war forced 12-year-old Danylo and his mother to leave their home in Kharkiv for the relative safety of Ivano-Frankivsk. Despite the distance, the boy’s thoughts remain with his father, a soldier on the front lines. Every night, Danylo prays for his dad’s safe return.
My dad always says everything’s okay, but I know things are tough out there. I can’t help but worry about him,
Danylo’s mother, Kateryna Bazyl, works as a psychologist for the “Voices of Children” Charitable Foundation. There, she helps families cope with the impact of war. At home, she does her best to keep her son’s mind off his constant worries.
I’ve been trying to get him back into the things he used to love doing. It seems to be helping,
To keep busy, Danylo spends time at the skate park, learns guitar, and even helps raise money for soldiers like his dad at charity events. He has also taken up martial arts to deal with bullies at school. Despite being away, his dad stays involved, sending art supplies to teach him drawing remotely.
I just keep hoping the war will be over soon. That would be awesome,
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