Sleepless nights for Montreal family as father goes to defend Ukraine
Posted March 4, 2022 2:39 pm.
Last Updated March 7, 2022 3:06 pm.
It wasn’t a regular joyous birthday celebration for a 15-year-old Montrealer. A few days ago, her father left his family to board a flight and head back to their hometown of Odessa, Ukraine.
He’s now fighting on the frontlines in the war with Russia. The family, filled with worry, but also support.
“I love my dad because he is very kind and he will always go help people,” said Rey Sulyma, whose dad went to Ukraine to help fight.
“He can’t stand to just do nothing, he always has to do something, always, always has to go out of his way to, like, help people. Even when he knows people or doesn’t know people. And yeah, because he’s very kind.”
Mykhailo Sulyma with one of his children prior to leaving to defend Ukraine. (Photo Courtesy: Olena Verbetska)
The father of three, Mykhailo Sulyma arrived in Montreal seven years ago. He’s a musician and his wife, an elementary school music teacher.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – it’s been sleepless nights for the family, which has only gotten harder since Mykhailo left for Ukraine.
“Yes, it was hard, but we try to be strong, we try not to lose hope,” explained Olena Verbetska, wife of Mykhailo. “Of course, my kids, they understand everything, and he had some closest friends who came to say goodbye, goodbye.”
In constant contact with her husband, Verbetska says after a long journey, he’s now in Odessa.
Sulyma-Verbetska family before The father of three, Mykhailo Sulyma left to defend Ukraine. (Photo Courtesy: Olena Verbetska)
In Montreal, she’s helping in her own way. Providing humanitarian aid within the community by gathering medicine, and supplies to send back to her homeland.
“My cousins, my friends, my schoolmates, everyone went to fight. Everyone is ready to die, but not to give our pretty beautiful Ukraine into the hands of this Russian dictator,” she told CityNews.
Verbetska calls on Canadians to join in on the effort to help Ukrainians. Many Ukrainian churches in Montreal are now accepting donations for the people of Ukraine or those soon-to-be-arriving here as refugees.
READ MORE: How can you help Ukrainians?
