The couple was sure of one thing: They never wanted to go to Ukraine now. Especially when they were ready for their adoption journey, it had to remain an unbroken promise at all costs, as it would cost them way too much. Their decision wasn’t personal, but if one wanted to adopt in the country, it could take months or even years.
The couple made the decision to avoid the complexities and unpredictability. But, at the end of the day, things do not always turn out the way you expect them to. They wanted a smooth path, but destiny had for them patience and hurdles—a lot of them!
In 2012, a newly introduced Russian law shut down international adoptions. At that time, this was what they least expected and looked forward to. Even after so much effort and such a major decision, they were left with broken hearts, as the couple wanted to build a family.
They did not know the day would arrive soon! A baby girl was waiting for them in Ukraine to call them ‘Mom and Dad.’ The moment they saw the picture of the beautiful little girl sleeping in her pink sleeper, the couple knew they wanted her to be a part of their beautiful family.
Feeling nervous but so excited at the same time that they moved to Ukraine to hold her. When they arrived, they knew there was so much coming up, from the language barrier to the problems they were unfamiliar with regarding the laws there, but they were ready to face it all and become parents! The emotional baggage they carried in their hearts when they left two of their children in Russia was way too much already, but then the couple met the man who changed their lives beautifully. The man was Serge Zevlever.
They had already heard how tough and intimidating he was, but when they sat with him for just a few minutes, the couple figured out why he was like this. They found out why people labeled him a mob boss.
The man fought for children his entire life. He was not just doing a job of getting paperwork done but also ensuring he cared for and protected the children more than anything. Even if there were hundreds of cases at a time, he knew every tiny detail about each child, from their schedules to the issues they went through… everything!
In 2015, when the couple went back to Ukraine for adoption, the man not only helped them complete their family, but now the family loves Ukraine too. It feels like a second home to them. The beautiful fact is that this wasn’t the first family to have such a lovely experience because of one man. A war began when life became easier, and joy covered the family.
The Russian forces invaded Ukraine, but Serge knew he did not want to leave the place he loved so much. He knew it wasn’t safe, but he defended Kyiv rather than saving his life. The first American to reportedly die in the Ukraine war. He died defending the country he loved and leaving behind his legacy and so much love. He truly was a hero!
