Threading Hope Through Darkness

Alla and Andrii Motonakha, 68 and 70, wove their life together in Bakhmut with distinctive patterns — she as a postal dispatcher who found peace in embroidery despite having lost both legs, he as a state security guard who valued discipline. Born in Kaliningrad, Alla’s journey took her through Kupiansk before settling in Bakhmut, where her needlework decorated their home with beauty, her hands creating the mobility her legs could not provide.

When shelling began, their house was struck but remained standing. The greatest challenge came in evacuating — both Alla without legs and Andrii, who could barely move after three strokes and having one leg amputated, while battling atherosclerosis and obliterating vascular disease. Volunteers who had been bringing them food became their lifeline, eventually helping them escape the besieged city.

In Kremenchuk, they found temporary shelter in a private house, but their world shrank to four walls. The limitations of their mobility — Alla in her wheelchair and Andrii requiring constant care — made them increasingly isolated.

Hope appeared in an unexpected form when Alla spotted an application form online. On December 22, 2024, they moved into apartment 15.1 at Senior Chudo Village. “I even started embroidering again, ” Alla says, “it helps me stay centered and brings peace.”

Despite their significant physical challenges, they maintain their dignity and hope. “Life doesn’t always go as planned, ” Alla reflects, “but it’s important to stay humane, support each other, and value each day.”

To Dell Loy Hansen, they express profound gratitude: “This isn’t just a house — it’s a new beginning, a chance to live without fear and constant stress. Hansen is doing tremendous work, and I wish him health and strength to continue this mission.”

Their most pressing wish now is for better medical care within the village, especially for residents with severe disabilities like theirs. Yet through it all, Alla continues her embroidery, her skilled hands creating beauty while compensating for her missing legs, proving that even in the darkest times, the human spirit can still soar.