Ukrainian teens who lost fathers to war visit Rockford for reprieve, relaxation
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The Russian invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago has disrupted nearly every aspect of normal life for Mariia Zamyshliak and her peers.
“We can’t even study normally right now,” said the 15-year-old high school student who hopes to become a surgeon one day.
Zamyshliak is one of a dozen teens from Ukraine visiting Rockford this week from our sister city of Brovary. Each of them has lost their father to either death or disappearance during the war.
“We get used to these rockets every day, every night, so we’re not so scared right now,” Zamyshliak said. “Of course it’s scary, you can die any second, but we’re ready for that. I’m ready to die, to be honest, because it’s been going for almost three years.”
The group landed at O’Hare Airport in Chicago on Friday, and a team from the YMCA of Rock River Valley, Rockford Christian and Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau has organized various events and activities for their visit. So far that’s included a performance of “Beauty & the Beast” at Starlight Theatre, meals at local restaurants, swimming and exercising at the YMCA, and a short tour and private performance from organist Andrew J. Mertzenich at the Coronado Performing Arts Center.
Alice Popova, 15, whose father was killed early in the Russian invasion, said students have gotten used to taking cover in basements and hallways when alarms sound for rockets and bombs. Now, more than 5,000 miles away from home, they’re just taking the chance to enjoy life.
“We have only one life, so we can’t miss it,” she said. “We’re trying our best to live it and enjoy it.”
The group will be here through Sunday, going to a multitude of places that represent the best of Rockford.
“We want to provide an experience that really showcases our community to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters,” said Brent Pentenburg, CEO of the YMCA of Rock River Valley. “You have the feeling that the world is small when you have people who are thousands of miles away and we have an opportunity to make a connection.”
The relationship between the city of Rockford and Brovary began in 1995 when a soccer team from Kyiv visited Rockford and suggested a sister city partnership with Brovary, its suburb of roughly 85,900 people.
After the Russian invasion in February 2022, the city of Rockford asked the mayor’s office in Brovary for ways it could help. The first trip to provide teens reprieve from the war was organized later that summer.
Rockford was the first U.S. city to create this opportunity for Ukrainian teens, according to city officials.
Donors from the Rockford area also contributed tens of thousands of dollars worth of medical supplies for hospitals in Brovary. Thousands of meals were also packaged and delivered to our Ukrainian sister city.
Two years later, Brovary Mayor Ihor Sapozhko again asked for support from Rockford. That brought a new group of teens back here this year.
“I’m thankful to the YMCA, Rockford Christian School and the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau for organizing a fantastic itinerary for our guest,” Mayor Tom McNamara said in a statement. “I hope this visit provides the group with needed rest and solace from the trauma they are facing at home.”
“I’m so happy to be here,” Zamyshliak said. “It’s another continent, another country, another city, another people – everything is different and I’m trying to get used to it.”
How to help
To donate online with the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, visit cfnil.org/burf.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
