In just two days, the Bondarenko family had to leave their home, or the occupiers threatened to bomb it. Then 13-year-old Eldar, with indescribable pain, ascended to his room on the second floor for the last time, sitting there on the floor, barely holding back tears. He wanted to remember the room as it was. He looked at the broken windows, walls damaged by shells, and the furniture. He bid farewell to his childhood. The next morning, mother and son left home into the unknown.

Today they are in territory controlled by Ukraine, and the worst is behind them. But the effects of their occupation experience linger: Marina is still going through a post-traumatic period. She’s terrified of any loud noise and afraid of anyone in military uniform.

The Save Ukraine team is helping the family cope with this experience, recover mentally, and adapt to a new life. A life with a hopeful future.

Learn more about the Bondarenko family’s story in our video.