Jurij Łysicyn (47), and his 13-year-old son came to Modlinska from Zaporizhzhia in Eastern Ukraine. He used to work as an electrician in an iron factory. They stayed in their home town for 6 months after the war started but then got seats on a rare train to Lviv and from there took a bus to Warsaw.

His story:
“When the war started the factory stopped production but continued paying me 66% of my wages for 2 months, before stopping altogether. Rockets hit the center of our city and I saw many buildings destroyed. The breaking point finally came after 8 months when I saw a rocket hit the building in front of our apartment building and it collapsed. It was really scary. My wife had died before the war in an accident where my son was miraculously spared and I couldn’t risk losing him. Very fortunately, I searched for train tickets and was able to find two tickets on a train to Lviv. We had just an hour to pack. How do you decide what of your life to take with you in just an hour? Everything has gone. I have lost everything.”

The Future:
Jurij still has two sisters and a brother in Zaporizhzhia along with other extended family members and many friends. He misses face to face communications with family and friends and is constantly worried that he may not talk to them again. He longs to return but it is still not safe. An air strike recently just missed his sister’s home and she was evacuated.

An Ask For Help:
Jurij has a heart condition which requires treatment in the cardiology department of a hospital, and likely surgery. He has no money and cannot work due to his poor health and the need for treatment. He would like his son to continue his education in Ukrainian at a Ukrainian school, but unfortunately the only schools in Warsaw with this type of education are paid private schools. He would like to raise funds to support his son’s education.