Threads of Memory

Bakhmut had been more than a city to Kateryna Yevtushenko. It was the stage of her entire life. A bookkeeper who spent her retirement selling newspapers, she had roots deeper than any conflict could reach.

The war didn’t announce itself gently. One Wednesday evening, she returned from selling newspapers. By night, everything changed. The basement became their world — cramped, fearful, full of neighbors seeking safety.

Her son’s insistence saved her. On July 22, 2022, he arranged transportation to Kropyvnytskyi, where she lived with her daughter-in-law, renting a small apartment. Each move a negotiation of survival.

Health became her constant companion. A pacemaker. Skin conditions. Kidney stones. Neurological challenges. Yet she remained determined.

The Dell Loy Hansen foundation wasn’t just offering housing. They were offering a restoration of dignity. After multiple applications, multiple tears, multiple conversations with Oleksandra, she finally received the call.

The journey to Senior Chudo Village was long. Transported by construction material carriers, every mile a testament to her resilience.

To the younger generation, she offered a sharp observation: “Respect for elders is missing. We carry experience they desperately need, yet they dismiss it, believing themselves superior.”

Her advice was hard-earned. Her dreams are simple — to improve her health, to find a moment of peace.

To Dell Loy Hansen, she would say more than thank you. She would speak of relief. Of no longer worrying about survival.

In her new home, Kateryna found something unexpected. Not just shelter. Not just safety. But a chance to breathe.

She would clean. She would observe. She would remember.