Unbroken Bonds

Siversk was more than a city to Hryhorii and Nina Zaviriukha. It was a lifetime of memories, of quiet dedication. She, a pharmacist who had begun supporting the military even before the full-scale invasion. He, a mechanic whose hands had fixed more than just machines.

When the first shell hit their home in 2022, it was more than physical destruction. It was the shattering of their world. Nina’s support for Ukrainian soldiers made her a target. Neighbors turned hostile. Social media groups became arenas of mockery and threat.

They moved to the basement, but even there, safety was an illusion. The risk came not from external enemies, but from the very community they had lived alongside for decades.

Military personnel became their lifeline. From Siversk to Bakhmut, from Konstantynivka to Pavlohrad, they were carried by the kindness of soldiers who understood protection meant more than just physical safety.

At 86 and 85, Hryhorii and Nina carried the weight of their experiences. His memory fading, battling eye cancer. Her struggling with leg problems, bronchitis, and her own health challenges. Yet they remained together, unbroken.

The military dormitory was just another temporary stop. Their friends — soldiers who understood their story — helped them fill out the application to Senior Chudo Village.

When the call came, Nina fell to her knees. Praying for Hansen’s health. Crying tears of gratitude.

Senior Chudo Village wasn’t just a new home. It was restoration. Comfort. Humanity. A place where their hearts could soften, where they could breathe without fear.

Their life advice was simple but profound: “Cherish peace. Never take a calm life for granted.”

To Dell Loy Hansen, they would offer more than thanks. They would speak of hope restored, of dignity returned.

Their plans were modest — simply to live a little longer. To exist in a moment of peace after years of uncertainty.

In this village, Hryhorii and Nina were more than survivors. They were witnesses to resilience, to love that survives everything — war, displacement, fear.

Their story whispered of hope — quiet, persistent, unbreakable.