Walking in My Father’s Footsteps
My life changed forever on a spring day in April 2022. That was when my father, a brave man who worked as a lead engineer, gave his life defending Ukraine.
I had always looked up to my dad. I remember watching him hunched over his desk late into the night, working on intricate designs and blueprints.
His eyes would light up as he described his latest project to me, his hands moving animatedly as he described how each piece would fit together. I didn’t always understand the technical details, but I understood the passion and pride in my father’s voice.
On weekends, we would often visit construction sites together. I marvelled at how the drawings my father showed me at home transformed into towering structures of steel and concrete.
My dad would point out different features, explaining how careful planning and design made these massive buildings safe and functional. Those moments felt magical, like my father was revealing the secrets of how the world was built.
When the war came, my father didn’t hesitate to answer the call to defend his country. He hugged me tightly before leaving, promising to return and take me on more site visits. I clung to that promise in the anxious days that followed, imagining all the new experiences we would share together.
But then came the devastating news that shattered my world: my father would never come home again. My heart ached with a pain so intense it felt as if someone were squeezing it, and trying to tear it out of my body.
In those dark days of grief, I found myself drawn to my father’s old drawing table. I would sit there for hours, running my fingers over the precise lines my dad had drawn, trying to feel close to him again.
As the initial shock of loss began to fade, I came to an important realization: I could honor my father’s memory by following in his footsteps.
I started paying more attention in my math and science classes, determined to understand the principles that had fascinated my dad. I began to see the world through new eyes, noticing the careful design in buildings and bridges I never thought about before.
Now, as I look to the future, I feel a sense of purpose growing within myself. I want to become an engineer like my father, to create things that will make the world better.
I knows the path won’t be easy, but I am driven by the desire to make my dad proud and to continue the work that was so abruptly cut short.
Every time I pick up a pencil to sketch out an idea, I feel a connection to my father. And though the pain of loss will never fully fade, I finds comfort in knowing that through my chosen path, a part of my dad will live on.
I am determined to pour all the love and admiration I have for my father into my studies and future career, building a legacy that honors the man who taught me to see the extraordinary in the everyday world around him.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to HART for giving me the hope and belief that I can realize my dream of becoming a great engineer – like my father.
Your support means more to me than words can convey, as it brings me one step closer to honoring my father’s memory in a way that truly reflects who he was.
Through this journey, I want the world to know his name and the incredible legacy he left behind.
I also want to thank everyone at HART who has supported me financially in my studies. Your generosity not only helps me continue my education, but it also fills me with the strength to believe that my father is watching over me.
Every step I take toward my dreams, I carry his memory and his spirit with me, and your kindness gives me the courage to keep moving forward.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Oleksandr
