ai–painting and story by Katerina Borisenko

aiWe like everyone else had the most important thing - life. We planned a lot for our future together, and in the evenings we would dream that all these plans had already come true. We worked hard and believed we still had a lot of time...

aiOur relationship was just as I dreamed it would be. I always imagined a great man next to me, someone strong I could lean on. With Mykola it was exactly like that, he filled me with love... he was my universe. A caring man. Brave... For all 6 years I felt loved and taken care of.

aiMykola was a balanced man with a keen sense of justice and patriotic values. It was always important for him to help his family and friends, and country. His career as a soldier began  in 2014 with the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv, where the president was forced out for an independent and free Ukraine.

aiStill, I knew that if a full-scale invasion began, he would definitely not stand aside. Mykola always said, "If there is a war, we will fight and defend " And so it happened, on February 24, 2022 he immediately joined the Armed Forces.

aiThe injury that changed our lives occurred right at the beginning, on February 27. My man was shot and received 10 bullet wounds. Mykola spent one and a half months in intensive care and underwent 18 surgeries. But the 18th operation turned out to be his last. At that moment my life seemed to stop along with his.

aiFor my painting, I chose this girl, not by chance. I responded to her inside and she reflected my state of mind so well. The girl is standing in the middle of a field of dandelions, symbolizing dreams and plans that can fly away in an instant. The girl is holding some of the flowers. This symbolizes that all our dreams and plans should be realized because they have the price of a life.