Help Volodymyr and Lydia Sazonov Find a permanent home at "Our People" Senior Center

Volodymyr (71) and his wife Lidiya (67) spent decades building their lives in the city of Lysychansk. They had already endured the pain of occupation once, when their city fell under enemy control for three months back in 2014. Life eventually resumed, though always under the shadow of uncertainty. Their son, serving bravely on the frontlines, remained their greatest source of pride and worry.

When the full-scale invasion began, their son called and urged them to leave immediately. He feared that if the occupiers captured his parents, they would use them as leverage against him. The couple gathered their belongings in haste and joined an evacuation convoy. On March 16, 2022, they left their home behind, traveling west to Lviv and then across the border into Poland, to the town of Myślenice near Kraków.

The worst news came months later: their apartment in Lysychansk had been destroyed in a fire, leaving nothing but ashes. In July 2022, they returned to Ukraine to process passports and file documents for compensation for their lost home. Since then, they have remained in Ukraine, moving from rented apartments in Brovary until their landlord asked them to leave. Today, Volodymyr and Lidiya live in a modular settlement provided by the local authorities. Though grateful for a roof over their heads, they carry the grief of losing their home, their city, and the life they once knew.