SUPerhero Story — Tamara

Today, we want to share a story of another SupportYourApper who faced the horror of the russian war against Ukrainian freedom and national identity. Tamara told us how dramatically her life has changed the day putin’s army invaded her land.

Where are you, and who is with you? 

I am now in the Carpathian Mountains with my family. My sister is in the military, so she stayed in Kyiv to defend our country. We are constantly in touch, day and night. 

How are you guys feeling? 

I know for sure that things will get better and always try to stay positive, but it can be hard after reading the news. My mood is constantly swinging. For one moment I am sure that everything will be fine, then, in an hour, I think “Gosh, what’s happening?”. This cycle repeats over and over again. I try to hold on and distract myself, work, and study. It helps a lot. 

Do you plan on returning to Kyiv when the war is over?

Absolutely. I miss Kyiv so much. My pets are still there — two cats and a dog. We couldn’t take all the animals with us, so we had to leave them with our neighbors. We call there every day to find out how our animals are doing. I want to come back to them so much.

How did you find out about the war?

I usually sleep soundly, but that day I woke up at 6 a.m. from a weird sound, something like an explosion. Of course, I was sure nothing like that could happen. I stayed in bed and thought that it cannot be shelling. But my heartbeat still went off scale. Then I got a call from my sister. She was already in the military unit and told us that the war had started. 

What do you do to defuse the tension? 

The first thing that helps me distract myself is work. I also watch online lectures and continue my English study on YouTube. I still can’t listen to any music, even the sad one — I can’t make myself listen to a single song. 

What do you miss the most from your peaceful life?

I miss the simplest things like meeting my sister after work and walking home together. We used to drink coffee on the way home, where all our pets were waiting for us, and then sit in the kitchen and chat. I still don’t know how soon we will get back to our ordinary life  or when we will have a chance to walk the streets of Kyiv without fear. 

What was the scariest moment? 

The first days of war were the scariest. We have a roomy, deep, cold basement at home. We stayed there for the first eight days while my sister was with her unit. When the night was coming, we didn’t know what would happen. All the sounds were unfamiliar and scary. If all our family had been together, it would have been easier. Knowing that my sister was in danger, and the constant feeling that I could lose her, was terrifying. 

How can we bring the victory closer?

We can help each other and try to be useful wherever we are. When I found out that there’s a hotline working at SupportYourApp, I joined our teammates and started taking calls. People were calling from the hot spots when they needed food, water, evacuation, or information. Besides that, there was a lack of medicine in Kyiv during the first days of war. Here, in the West, the situation was better, so I bought medicine and sent it to Kyiv. I also donated money to Armed Forces of Ukraine, charity for saving animals in the zoo, and volunteers who bought food and medicine for the military hospital. 

Do you have some plans on what you would like to do after our victory?

My biggest desire is to come back home, hug my pets and, of course, catch up with everyone. When we are back to our normal life, I want to buy a new sewing machine and sew a lot of beautiful clothes for me and my friends. 

What would you like to say to the Ukrainian people? 

All Ukrainians are firmly united now. My biggest desire is for us to stay strong and keep helping each other. As the latest events showed, this is what keeps us afloat. Our country has plenty of remarkable people united by their willingness to help.

This is what will bring us to victory! 💙💛

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