11-Year-Old Ukrainian Boy Reunited With Family After Making His Way to Slovakia Alone.Photo: Slovak Police Force Facebook
The official Facebook page for the Slovakian police this week shared photos of Hassan, the 11-year-old boy, and his siblings with their mom — along with more information about the reunion.
As a translation of the post detailed, the family’s journey was complicated, with the three sisters traveling from their home in the southeast of Ukraine to Bratislava, Slovakia, to meet their older brother and ensure that Hassan would also be able to enter the country.
When it was determined that Hassan could cross the border, he made the journey alone, with his mother, Julia Pisecka, staying behind to take care of her own, ailing, mom.
“Hassan spent more than a day on the train,” the police wrote on Facebook. “He had his brother’s number written on his hand.”
11-Year-Old Ukrainian Boy Reunited With Family After Making His Way to Slovakia Alone.Slovak Police Force Facebook
“He came all alone because his parents had to stay in Ukraine,” the Slovak Ministry of Interior separately posted on Facebook, according to CNN. “Volunteers took care of him, took him to a warm place and gave him food and drink.”
Meanwhile, the children’s mother ultimately decided to make her own escape with the grandmother, due to the continued threat of Russian bombing.
Along with their small dog, the two women took “a very difficult journey on the evacuation train,” finally re-joining the children on Monday, authorities said.
Now, they’re all back together — with the reunion sparking hope for the future while also dredging up painful memories.
The Slovakian police wrote on social media this week that this “wasn’t the first time Hassan’s family ran away from war,” as they came to Ukraine after fleeing Syria years ago. During that war, their father “didn’t make it.”
“The family is together again,” the police wrote on Facebook. “They lost everything again, but this time the war didn’t take anyone away from them. They are together and that’s all that matters.”
Hassan had opened up about his harrowing journey during a virtual interview withGood Morning Britainfrom Bratislava last week. Sitting beside his four older siblings — who translated for him — he reflected on the “difficult” journey and being back with his loved ones.
Hassan’s sister, meanwhile, expressed her concerns about her brother’s ordeal, saying in the morning broadcast that she was worried about the trek, given that he is the youngest of the five.
“I was very, very worried … and it was surprising,” she said of reuniting with Hassan.
Looking ahead, Hassan also spoke about the future and what comes next. “He said the most important [thing] is to be in the place where [his family is],” Hassan’s sister said.
“He’s not thinking about the future,” she continued of her younger brother. “He just wants to stay with us.”
Meanwhile, Russia’sattack on Ukrainecontinues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
