The dog’s name is like a father’s call sign. The story about the realization of the dream of the son of the fallen Hero, and why children need a Christmas miracle

Serhiy Samodelov with the call sign RED was unfit for service due to a serious childhood injury. But when the Russians invaded the country, it did not stop him – he joined the defenders of the “Azov” regiment.

The man died on May 8, 2023 near Bakhmut. His wife Marina and 10-year-old son Luka were waiting for him at home.

To help him cope with the loss, the boy was sent to the Gen.camp psychological rehabilitation camp. There, Luka had a dream – he wanted a Maltipa dog. He said that the four-legged one is “as red as daddy’s beard.”

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In December, between his birthday and Nicholas Day, his dream came true. The Samodelov family now has a little four-legged RED.

“UP. Life” tells the story of Luka, who lost his father, but found a friend who reminds him of his father.

We also spoke with a psychologist about the importance of fulfilling children’s dreams on the eve of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Luka and his red dog, like dad’s beard

Son, painting and preparation for service

Serhiy was one of the activists on the Maidan and was preparing to serve in the army from the moment the Russians first invaded Ukraine in 2014.

“I spent almost the whole of 2014 on the “preservation” of a long-awaited pregnancy. In December, my son Luka was born, so Serhii did not go to serve right away, but was by my side.” – says wife Marina.

As a child, the man was hit by a “ZIL” truck and dragged 32 meters over the braking distance. Doctors diagnosed Serhiy with significant back and head injuries, which made him unfit for service.

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But this did not prevent the man from preparing to fight for his native land for the next 9 years. His friends who served in the ATO/OOS came and told war stories.

“Serhiy’s eyes lit up then – he wanted to join them, but I was categorically against it, because my son was small.

Serhiy was everything to Luka. First of all, a best friend and father. Not like dad for a tick – they did a lot of things together, had their own boys’ party, traditions and responsibilities“, she recalls.

Serhii and Luka. Photo from the home archive

Marina adds that her husband was an engineer by education, but he started drawing after the birth of his son.

“Luka was very anxious as a child. At first, we did not sleep at night – we had night shifts. When the husband looked after his son, he occasionally went out to smoke on the common balcony. There, in silence and alone, he made some sketches. It was his way of calming himself down“, says the wife.

Serhiy painted 4 floors of the building. He independently mastered many techniques and materials. None of his paintings remained in their original form – the artist painted them, changed elements, the process did not stop.

Marina notes that at first she thought the man’s drawings were gloomy and pessimistic, but later she realized that it was a certain handwriting and a unique manner of the author. He signed his works RED.

Photo in the entrance of the house. Serhii painted the wall

February 24

The Samodelov family remembers the morning of February 24 down to the last detail. Like most Kyivans, they woke up that morning to explosions.

“On the morning of February 24, Serhiy met me in military uniform. I asked where he took it, and he answered “where necessary” and remained unmoved. He had a strong character. The man was equipped, with a backpack and some gear, and just said, “I’m going“, the woman recalls.

Marina had to move to a new job soon, so she completed all the work at the previous company. She took her son to her parents, who lived nearby, and went to work, while her husband had to stay at home. She remembers that she collected a guitar, children’s things, textbooks, but for some reason did not put the documents.

Within a few hours, Serhiy gave the keys to the apartment to the neighbors and left instructions on how to care for the cats that lived there.

“He told the neighbors to look after our pets, told where the feed and sand were, and then he went to the Military Commissariat. He didn’t discuss it with me – he just put it in front of the fact. We were in touch almost all day, I persuaded to stay, but he was adamant: “We were attacked, I have to defend“, says Marina.

On the evening of the 24th, fragments of a downed rocket fell near the house, so the woman decided to leave the capital together with her son.

“Serhiy with his “white ticket” was not accepted at any military commissariat in Kyiv, so later he went to a suburban one and paid money there to be taken into service.

He followed his heart. Serhii did not hide, he went alone and chose the Third Assault Brigade. I respect his decision, but I don’t accept it”– says the wife.

Serhiy is on duty

To become an “Azov” fighter, one had to pass physical training and many exams. Marina says that there were many disciplines, and her husband was constantly studying. Comrades said that Serhiy was one of the best machine gunners and the only one among the soldiers who could run with two machine guns at once.

Home holidays and traditions

Luka’s birthday in December 2022 was celebrated without dad, but he came for the New Year. Serhiy was released for 5 days.

“We always had a tradition on the night before Luka’s birthday to blow up many balloons and hang the same flags.

And a few days before the new year, Serhiy always brought a Christmas tree so that it was fresh. They installed, chose balls and decorated it together with Luka“, Marina recalls.

The same flags were hung every year on Luka’s birthday

There was also a tradition of preparing for Easter.

“Serhiy always kneaded the dough for paska, I baked, and then he and Luka decorated. The two of them always dyed the eggs. They chose colors, looked for something new every year.

We were not preparing for war. We just wanted our son to have such childhood memories that he would later transfer to his family. My husband did everything to ensure that these traditions and memories continued even during his service“, says the woman.

After the new year in the family circle, Serhiy went to see Bakhmut. He fought there until May.

“In Bakhmut, Serhiy painted icons on the doors. It was a shock to him that there were no amulets in the old houses“, his wife recalls.

Farewell

Serhiy came home after Easter – on May 4. He managed to “escape” only for 1 day – he received sick leave after a concussion.

“He managed to see everyone. He went to his parents, found time for all his friends and talked a lot with his son – gave him instructions.

He hammered into his head: “You stick to the older one. You are the main man in this family.” It seems that he came to say goodbye“, says Marina.

The last joint family photo was taken on May 4

She notes that she has often heard the phrase from her husband that “he did not go to the front in order to get two hundred”.

But on May 8, during mortar shelling, a fragment flew under his helmet – Serhii died instantly.

“When it became known, many friends called me and asked how Luka was. They knew that the son and the husband were very close. They went fishing, picnics, and meeting friends together.

It hurts me that Luka won’t shut himself up in a shack with dad anymore and say: “I like a girl, her name is Leia“, the Hero’s wife says with a whisper in her voice.

She adds that in people’s memory he will forever remain a kind, sensitive, cheerful, funny man.

Read also: Their heroes are dead. How children at Gen.Camp learn to live with loss

A dream about a dog

Marina says that her boyfriends dreamed of a dog for a long time, but could not decide on a breed.

Serhiy dreamed of a giant schnauzer (a large hunting dog, males reach 50 kg at maturity and up to 70 cm at the withers – ed.). And Luka just wanted a dog. Most often, he called a French bulldog, because there were several such dogs in their house.

But they were in no hurry to take the four-legged friend to a one-room apartment.

“Sergiy found a dog for himself at the front – a big hunting dog. He took him out of the shelling in a tank. He named him Fred – he had the best conditions and the best veterinarians. He was a big dog, and the man was determined to take him to Kyiv. But the dog was stolen in Donetsk region“, says the woman.

She adds that Luka did not stop trying to persuade his mother to get at least a dog.

Marina with her son Luka

After the death of his father, the boy was admitted to psychological rehabilitation at the GEN.Camp children’s camp. He was replaced by two contact dogs of the Maltipu breed – small red dogs.

“When Luka was little, Serhiy would put him to bed. The son always held his father’s beard so that he would not “run away”.

So when my son saw a maltip in the camp, he didn’t just start asking for a dog. Luka reasoned that this dog was as red as dad’s beard, and that he would sleep more peacefully with him“, says Marina.

She notes that she hesitated and postponed the realization of this dream. But the child psychologist with whom they work advised to get a dog anyway. The four-legged man was supposed to help the boy finally “uncan” his emotions, because Luka was very closed due to the death of his father and took all his instructions seriously.

The boy’s dream came true after his birthday in December.

First day at home for little Red

Marina said that the puppy “found” them – a friend once mentioned a kennel for dogs of this breed. And the owner, when she heard Luka’s story, gave him a four-legged friend.

“Red came to us quickly and quite by accident, at the same time – very timely. He is an anti-stress dog. The puppy is very smart, gentle and funny. Luka distracts himself from his thoughts with him”she says with a smile.

The son named the dog “Red” – as Dad’s call sign.

“Luka is now keeping a dog’s diary for the first year. it has a page with the pet’s family. There is Luka, a puppy and mom and dad. I asked my son which dad he was referring to, he said ours. And he added that dad always is, was and will be. So he introduced Red to his father, showed him his portrait. This dog helps Luka a lot to open up and experience emotions.” – says the boy’s mother.

Read also: Diapers, snacks and lack of free time: what you should know before taking home a puppy

Why making dreams come true is important

Vanui Martirosyan, the head psychologist of the Gen.Camp rehabilitation camp, explained why it is important to realize children’s dreams.

“We always associate the pre-New Year period with dreams and belief in miracles. However, for traumatized children, this time can be a significant challenge. The traumatic experience they went through suppresses the work of the right hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for imagination and dreams. Therefore, it is important to nurture and encourage children to believe in miracles for healing and restoring a balanced brain.

To this end, at GenCamp we have created a tradition to celebrate Christmas with all its magical and festive attributes: celebrating the victory of light over darkness, making wishes and nurturing faith in the future.there is,” she says.

Celebration traditions in the Gen.camp rehabilitation camp

But children in their immediacy sometimes even forget their wishes or change the list of “dreams”.

The psychologist cited the example of other children from the rehabilitation camp.

Example, brothers Sasha and Lyosh (ages 8 and 10) “ordered” pistols and sweets for the holidays. Their mom points out that the list is usually made for New Year’s and the wishes on it are very expensive, like the latest model of game console.

The boys experienced a difficult period in the Kyiv region – a Russian bomber was dropping ballast and one of the bombs hit their house. The whole family died – only the boys miraculously survived. Mother left the house half an hour before the tragedy – she was preparing to evacuate her family to Poland. The brothers spent several hours under the rubble – the mother dug them out with her own hands.

At 7 years old Sophia her father and uncle died at the front, but despite the painful loss, she actively dreams and has many wishes. For example, for Nicholas, she ordered a huge box of beads to weave rings, bracelets and necklaces. And she also slandered that she wanted to go to the performance of the Magic Five – this is a group of illusionists that shows a variety of tricks. Mom fulfilled all her daughter’s dreams so that her eyes shone with joy.

Victoria Andreeva, UP. Life

Read also: The holiday is (not) approaching. Why psychologists advise not to give up New Year’s holidays