The Family from Myrnograd: Returning to Life After Hell

July 2025 was a turning point for the family of Olga (36 years old) and Mykola (39 years old) and their twins, Maria and Oleksandr (7 years old), who left the war-torn Myrnograd. Their story is a testament to the extreme horror they experienced and an important example of how timely request for help was the first step towards their rescue and recovery.

A way out of the impossible

The family went through a real hell. For the first two weeks, they hid in the basement, surrounded by constant shelling, darkness, lack of gas and communication. Olga recalls how they had to make up fairy tales about "good and bad dragons" to explain to the children the need to hide and behave quietly.

When the husband and wife dared to escape, it was a superhuman challenge. Destroyed houses, smoke, smog, and constant danger. The children, frightened to the core, stopped crying and simply silently hugged their parents as they ran for their lives.

💔 Olga: "The children became silent from shock, they didn't even cry when it was really scary, but hugged my husband and me, and we ran."

On foot, hitchhiking, they made their way through the chaos until they met a rescuer from Pokrovsk, who not only took them out, but also provided shelter at his dacha. Later, the family moved to Dobropillya, where they finally dared to contact a specialist at the city's Center for Social Services.

Why is timely treatment important?

The family sought help with paperwork for destroyed housing (their house in Maryinka was destroyed by a rocket), restoring the children's psychological state, and getting them into school.

During the first conversation, the Center's specialist drew attention to distressing physical symptoms Olga: pale appearance and constant coughing. This specialist's decision to conduct an initial questionnaire for the presence of symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) turned out to be critically important.

Fortunately, TB was not found in the adult family members. However, this is precisely what timely referral to medical institutions allowed us to pay attention to other ailments caused by stress and difficult conditions and begin their treatment. Physical health is the foundation for further recovery.

The path to recovery

The Center's specialists not only provided the family with vital advice on:

• Preparation of documents about destroyed housing.
• Legal rights and payments of IDPs.

They also received:

• Motivational certificates
• Psychological support
• Humanitarian aid

Life was gradually returning to normal. Olga, a math teacher by profession, started tutoring, and Mykola found a job as a driver.

Already in August 2025, thanks to stabilization and the assistance received, the family was able to move on - to the Poltava region, where they would be able to build a new, safe life.

 

The story of Olga and Mykola emphasizes: don't delay! Timely appeal to social and medical services is not just a request for help. It an active step towards protecting your own health, rights and the future of your family. At critical moments in life, do not hesitate to seek professional support, because it can save not only your emotional but also your physical state!