For many Ukrainians living in the Valley, life hasn’t been the same since Russia invaded their home country.
Among the Valley residents is 14-year-old Adam Jelden.
“My mom’s from Ukraine. I’m from here."
His mother, Svitlana Jelden, tells us they still have family members in Ukraine who fear for their lives.
So when the war started one year ago, he wanted to do something to help, and a new effort was born inside the walls of Brophy College Prep.
Through letters, the freshman started bringing hope to Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the war-torn region.
“It’s to give the soldiers a new hope about what they're fighting for,” said Jelden.
The day ABC15 talked to him, he was writing a special letter and you could see the love he was pouring into it the second his pencil hit the paper.
We watched as he wrote “Dear Uncle…”
ABC15: "Who are you writing to right now?"
Jelden: "My Uncle Victor. He’s fighting right now."
ABC15: "In the war?"
Jelden: "Yeah. He just suddenly enlisted like a lot of people did and he did it to protect his country. I think it takes a really special person to have that amount of courage."
He says it’s been devastating not knowing if he’ll ever see his uncle, Victor Strashenko, again.
“I just don’t really want anything bad to happen to him and it makes me nervous, and my whole family,” he said.
He says it's hard to find the right words to say because, for him, there aren’t any to describe how devastated he feels for the people of Ukraine. Though, even still, he works to find the words because he knows this is one of the only ways he can connect with his uncle.
“I want him to feel loved and give him some more confidence,” explained Jelden.
He says he remembers going to Ukraine and going on picnics and fishing with his uncle.
It’s hard for him to accept cities there are now leveled and life just isn’t the same.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing you again this summer,” Jelden wrote in the letter.
While he says this past year has felt like an eternity because of the war in Ukraine, he is hopeful it will all come to an end soon.
“I hope it ends and obviously I hope Ukraine wins,” said Jelden.
Luzdelia Caballero: "And what’s your hope for your uncle in this war?"
Jelden: "That he comes out alive."
The freshman continued writing his letter, eventually ending it with: “Thank you for what you’ve done for the country. Adam.”
We watched as he tore the page out of his notebook and carefully folded it to fit inside an envelope.
He paused to look at the envelope before ultimately sealing it with love.
“I idolize him," he added. Jelden tells ABC15 he will also idolize his uncle and hopes this letter with bring a smile to his face and restore some hope in his heart.
He says it has been wonderful to see the community rally in support of Ukraine and is thankful Brophy College Prep is among their top supporters.
