Fading Portraits

Oleksandra Hordiienko knew about capturing moments. A photo retoucher who had spent her life making images perfect, she now found herself in a landscape she couldn’t edit or smooth away.

Her world had been reducing long before the war. Her husband gone. Her daughter lost. An empty home in Kostiantynivka that echoed with silence.

When the conflict intensified, she remained. Territorial center workers became her lifeline — bringing water, food, essential supplies. Her friend’s helper, Serhii, eventually became her passage to safety.

At 86, with a second-group disability, Oleksandra carried the weight of loss more than physical challenges.

The Dell Loy Hansen foundation wasn’t offering her a new home. They were offering a new frame for her remaining life.

Her advice to the younger generation cut to the heart of modern isolation: “Step away from the internet. Real life happens among people. The internet makes everyone seem connected, yet everyone remains alone.”

To Dell Loy Hansen, she would offer quiet appreciation. A wish for his continued health, for projects that help people.

Her plans were elemental. To live. To exist.

In Senior Chudo Village, she found something unexpected. Not perfection. Not restoration. But a moment of quiet. A place where the edges of her life could rest.

Her story wasn’t about survival. It was about continuing.