Ukraine, dad fleeing war with his children: “Everything is a game”

Two different stories, but very similar: If in the movie Life is beautiful Roberto Benigni played a Jewish father who is deported with his son to a concentration camp, pretending that the whole thing is a game to protect the child from the horrors of Nazism, and now fantasy turns into reality. This is a touching story of a father – Italian, but long-time resident of Ukraine – Flee from war with his children. And in order not to frighten them, and prevent them from truly understanding the tragedy that surrounds them, he invented a game.

The story of the fugitive father from Ukraine

So many feelings for my dad Marco Gallipoli, the Italian photographer who was married for some time to a Ukrainian woman, happily told his story with a happy ending. arrived in Ukraine Many years ago, she found love here and decided to settle in Lviv, where her family roots. It was him and his wife two beautiful kids, Flavio and Aurora (only 9 and 7 years old), and their lives passed happily, even just a few days ago. They never imagined having to face such a great drama, having to leave their country under bombardment. Trying to survive the horror of war.

When the Russian army launched its offensive and the first tanks invaded Ukraine, Marco decided that Bringing his children to safety So I set out for the border with Poland. His wife No, wanted to stay in Lviv to defend her country: “She comes from a family that had already fought to prevent the Soviet invasion, she could not betray the education that her grandmother left her” – explained Marco, according to her Tekcom 24 – “You will be a volunteerready to help refugees.

And so it began daring escape A father is only concerned with protecting his children. Together they set out to the border with Poland, 30 km from their city, where they could find safety. A long walk to do on foot (roads are closed and the line of cars on the border is endless), under a sky lit by flashes of enemy missiles, against an icy cold. But Always with a smile on his faceHe tries to turn a dramatic moment into a breathtaking adventure, a real game to keep his kids entertained.

The horror of war turns into a game

Father Marco’s job was not easy: he himself He said it on Facebook, to document the trip to Poland with his smartphone. “Throughout the trip, I thought I would have to devise anything to make this moment less traumatic for my children” – he explained, explaining that he found a lot of support along the way. People who serve coffee or hot drinks, Perfect strangers who welcome fugitives At home for a night away from the freezing temperatures: in times of war, everyone seems to have moved to help those in need.

And then, finally, the limits: “Here are people loading families with young children into their car and we were lucky” – concluded Father Marco. But their adventure certainly wasn’t over yet. The goal is to get to Italy, and from there to leave for the United States. then it Will return to LvivTo support his wife and fellow countrymen in the face of an invasion that claimed the lives of many victims. In fact, there are many testimonies of courage Loyalty to the country he comes from Ukrainians. And in the drama, there’s also Heart-warming stories.