Kathryn and Ron Larsen Family Is Sponsoring A Home For Tamara Hetman

Tamara Anatolyevna Hetman, 70, retiree.

Tamara Anatolyevna lived in the village for over 20 years, with her husband and two sons. Her husband and sons passed away a long time ago, leaving her alone. She managed the household, tended the garden, and lived peacefully. When the war began, Tamara was at home. Like everyone else, she heard the terrifying explosions and noises, realizing: it had begun! War! Being in the village was dangerous, but she didn’t plan to leave, thinking it would all end quickly. She couldn’t hide in her cellar; it was not reliable. So she went to her neighbors, taking some documents and belongings, hiding with them, sleeping together, cooking when the shooting was less. They changed several cellars together, constantly moving further away from the loud explosions. When it became unbearably terrifying and difficult, they decided to go to Chernihiv. Luckily, they were helped to leave. There, Tamara called her sister and went to live with her because she had no other relatives.

On March 7th, a fellow villager called and said that their house was gone. Despite this, on March 24th, Tamara returned to her native village. Pain, despair, not understanding what to do next or where to live… At first, she stayed with a neighbor, then moved to a modular town where she still lives. Tamara is currently undergoing treatments for cancer and the doctors say the prognosis is good. The conditions in the close quarters of the modular town, where the residences are made of plastic, are very difficult. Tamara dreams to return to her land where she hopes to have a home and garden again.